Benchmarking in der Siedlungswasserwirtschaft: Erfassung und Vergleich von technischen und wirtschaftlichen Kennzahlen in der Siedlungswasserwirtschaft (Abwasserableitung und -reinigung)

In 2000, a multidisciplinary research project was launched with the aim of developing a benchmarking method for enterprises responsible for the operation of sewer systems and waste water treatment plants. This project was carried out for, and financed by, the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, the Environment and Water Management, 8 of the 9 provincial governments, and 71 municipalities and associations all over Austria. The Austrian Water and Waste Management Association, as Contractor was the responsible institution concerning project management and co-ordination. The challenge presented by the project was the collection and processing of cost and performance data. In particular it was necessary to develop and introduce a cost and performance analysis. In addition, standardisations and quality assessment of the data were carried out in particular in the field of capital costas In order to allow for differences in plant age and for inhomogeneities in the sewer systems. In order to facilitate comparison with the very heterogeneous samples it was necessary to group the installations according their size or capacity for both sewer systems and waste water treatment plants. For the operating costs of the processes one benchmark plant could be determined for each group and for each process, whereas for the total cost a benchmark range was defined for each group.