Get to know RiskPlus on 10 July at the Baden-Württemberg industry meeting
Stadtwerke Memmingen brings clarity to the „unknown land“ catchment area with RiskPlus
When the Drinking Water Catchment Area Ordinance was published on 4 December 2023, it was a wake-up call for many water suppliers in Bavaria. For Thomas Junger, Head of the Water Systems Engineering Department at Stadtwerke Memmingen, this also marked the beginning of a new phase in the discussion of risk management in the water supply sector. The topic was presented in detail for the first time at the annual meeting of Bavaria's water supply managers in January 2024. There, Junger was not only sensitised to the importance of the new requirements, but was even invited to participate in a planned DVGW recommendation for action and pass on his experience to other water suppliers as a „DVGW expert“.
The search for a sustainable solution
For Thomas Junger, the practical implementation of risk management based on more or less extensive Excel tables was not a sustainable solution. The tables, such as those provided in the LAWA recommendations for action, are long, confusing and, for the head of technology at Memmingen Water Supply, hardly provide a basis for structured further development in the second cycle. It was important to him that the considerable amount of work involved did not end up in a static document that only serves to fulfil obligations, but in a solution that offers real added value in the long term.
The decision in favour of RiskPlus was therefore a conscious one. The software not only promised a better overview, but also a sustainable basis for all future cycles. Thomas Junger was particularly attracted by the possibility of efficiently managing several water supplies as an operations manager and utilising synergy effects via templates. Added to this was the increasing time pressure until the first submission deadline, which made manual implementation seem increasingly unrealistic.
From data hurdles to a structured approach
In RiskPlus, a general template was first developed, which was then transferred to a total of 13 catchment areas. This procedure ensured a consistent and deliverable assessment for the first cycle. Special features such as neighbouring suppliers with common catchment areas but different protection zones could be easily mapped after the data delivery. TZW and the Disy team provided support at all times during the project so that all catchment areas could be fully mapped.
Clarity instead of „data monsters“
The initial assessments, including land utilisation analysis, hazard analysis and risk assessment, were deliberately kept general. Thomas Junger finds it particularly helpful to know that the software generates a file ready for submission as soon as all essential functions have been processed - regardless of the level of detail. This aspect provided him with noticeable relief during a stressful phase and made meeting the deadlines realistic.
Comprehensive fine-tuning is planned for the second cycle. Nevertheless, it is already clear what a difference RiskPlus makes. While an Excel spreadsheet would have been nothing more than a „dead data monster for the drawer“ from Junger's point of view, the software enables clear and comprehensible documentation of the current status. All content can be easily corrected and updated, which makes work much easier in the long term.
A new understanding of the catchment area
Thanks to RiskPlus, Stadtwerke Memmingen has gained a comprehensive understanding of its catchment areas for the first time. What was previously largely unknown territory is now tangible and comprehensible in terms of its structures, risks and interrelationships. This opens up completely new possibilities for professional argumentation, whether for current developments or future decisions. Step by step, new technical contexts are revealed that were previously hidden.
A strategic platform for future tasks
For Thomas Junger, it is clear that the importance of RiskPlus extends far beyond the first delivery cycle. The software forms a solid basis for many future tasks: It supports the fulfilment of legal requirements, creates professional digital documentation and strengthens the position of municipal utilities in discussions with different users and interest groups. He believes that his organisation is well equipped for future requirements and that the second cycle will bring a significant boost in efficiency. RiskPlus will play a decisive role in this.
„Plagued by supposedly nonsensical regulations with an opaque background, coupled with annoying additional work without any recognisable benefit? - With RiskPlus, you can turn the tables and gain clarity and expertise!“
- Thomas Junger, Head of Water Systems Engineering, Stadtwerke Memmingen
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