Tetra Tech supported Ancala Water Services (AWS) with improving their approach to planned maintenance of components, assets, and systems. In doing so, our team helped create detailed and proactive maintenance tasks for managing business and operation risk.
Understanding client objectives
Key to success was fully ascertaining the client’s objectives in detail prior to commencement.
Based on discussions with AWS, our solution involved undertaking Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) Reviews of the critical systems identified (note: RCM determines what must be done to ensure any physical asset continues to perform as desired in its present operating context). Across a number of fuel depot sites, these systems included water supply, surface water, foul water, and firefighting.
Solutions and benefits
As the facilitator of this scheme, Tetra Tech maintained constant close engagement with the AWS team.
We applied a seven-stage process for the systems/sub-systems within scope to ascertain what must be done. This methodology includes identifying function, root cause and effect of failure, how to prevent failure, and measures to take if a proactive task is not identified.
The benefits of this approach to AWS included:
- the focus on risk reduction/mitigation while looking to realise the inherent reliability that has been designed into the system/asset
- highlighting critical assets within systems not previously thought to be critical
- identifying maintenance cost savings and where “run to failure” acceptable
- Identifying spares requirements
- significant risk avoidance lowering AWS exposure to contractual or regulatory penalties
- defined and focused maintenance activities
- assurance to the site operator and regulator that maintenance obligations under contract and functional requirements are met
- identification of shortfalls
Peter Howell (AWS Strategic Asset Planner) said, “We are extremely satisfied with the professional and experienced team that helped deliver this work. The staff involved were experienced, approachable, helpful and driven to achieve common goals.”
Key Facts
Tetra Tech identified:
- Several critical components within systems irrespective of their value (e.g. Warning Beacon Bulbs – Cost approx. £1 – consequence of failure/ risk exposure upwards of £1m).
- 471 individual maintenance tasks across 114 systems.
- 53 shortfalls requiring addressing across 114 systems.
- 25 re-design/project activities across 114 systems.
