It’s our pleasure to be a resource answering questions that come to us. What I’ve found is that often the questions asked are similar so it led to this idea to share the questions and answers here as they might be relevant to what you’re going through now, too. Check this one out from a city manager in Iowa and if you have a question, email it to info@PeopleService.com. If selected for this enewsletter, we will send you a cup of poo, ok, it’s not really poo but a coffee mug and poo emoji.
Before my time with the city, we received proposals from PeopleService and a couple of other companies. At the time we decided to keep our water/wastewater operations in house, but due to personnel issues, we are now considering contract management. Of the 3 proposals received, PeopleService was the lowest price, can you explain why and why the others were higher?
Thank you for your question. There is a lot to unpack here, so I’ll start off by saying that this IS NOT a “get what you pay for” industry. We all go after the same qualified operators, offer competitive wages and benefits. The questions to ask when receiving proposals will help discern the real costs and reveal those hidden costs. Here are some key questions that should always be addressed when looking at proposals.
How Our Latest Technology Can Keep You Informed
Mapping your infrastructure and quickly locating underground systems are key elements of managing and operating water and wastewater systems in the most cost-effective, safe and efficient way. We have invested in the latest software technology to ensure we have eliminated some of the major pain points along the way.
We implement the use of Diamond Maps, a unique, cloud-based GIS designed for the sewer and water industry. The benefits are huge and include:
- No longer relying on outdated paper maps
- Having access to information anytime and anywhere, especially when in the field
- Losing no information when employees leave
- Documenting maintenance activities and problems with infrastructure
- Helping to identify and plan for capital improvements to the system