John Boisvert, P.E.
Chief Engineer
July 27, 2012
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Engineering Division
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Engineering
 Who we are
 What we do
 Budget & Revenues
 Efficiency and Effectiveness
 Engineering and the Strategic Plan
 Initiatives
 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)
 Questions
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Engineering Division
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John Boisvert, P.E.
Chief Engineer
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Experience
 Pennichuck Water Works
2006 – Present: Chief Engineer
 Weston & Sampson Engineers
2000 – 2006: Team Leader – Water Resources
 Layne Christensen Co.
1998 – 2000: N.E. Manager - Geosciences
Division
 Hydro Group, Inc.
1994 – 1998: Project Manager
 Hoyle, Tanner, & Associates
1992 – 1994: Project Manager
 Civil Consultants, Inc.
1986 – 1989: Project Engineer
 Underwood Engineers, Inc.
1985 – 1986: Project Engineer
Education
 BS Civil Engineering - University of NH 1985
 Masters of Studies in Environmental Law –
Vermont Law School 1990
 MS Civil Engineering – University of NH 1992
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Engineering Division
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Education non-Degree
 Leadership New Hampshire Class of 2010
Memberships
 AWWA/NEWWA
Member: NEWWA Sustainability Committee
 NHWWA
Member: NHWWA Legislative Committee
 NHBIA
Member: NHBIA Environmental Committee
Government
 Member - NH Legislature Water Infrastructure
Sustainable Funding Commission
 Member - Governor Lynch’s NH Water
Sustainability Commission
 Chairman, Stratham Public Works Commission
Licenses
 Professional Engineer – New Hampshire and Maine
Civic/Volunteer
 Board Member & Coach: Exeter Youth Soccer
Association
 Coach: Stratham Youth Soccer Association
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Engineering: Who We Are
Staff Member
Title
Years with
Pennichuck
Rich Philbrook
Mgr. Engineering Services
43
Paul Dubowik
Inspector
20
John Gureckis
Inspector
30
David Levasseur
CAD Technician/Inspector
11
Eric Levesque
CAD Technician
8
Maurene Pepin
CAD Technician
2
Kelley Murphy
Administrative Assistant
11
Pete Tedder
Distribution Engineer
26
Total Years:
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Engineering Division
151
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Engineering: What We Do
 Capital Projects

Plan, design, permit, and oversee construction of capital projects
 Technical and Administrative support to:
Internal Clients
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Distribution & Operations
Water Supply & Treatment
Customer Service
 Finance
 Administration
External Clients
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 Developers
 Government
Customers
Engineers
Contractors
 Consultant Management
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Engineering Division
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Use of Consultants
 Where we lack expertise and experience

Technical
•

Hydrogeology, Land Surveying, Structural Engineering, Electrical
Engineering
Special Projects
•
•
•
Treatment
Asset Management
Pipeline condition assessment
 Where we lack time and staff
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Environmental Permits & Reporting
Cross connection surveys
 Where the activity is limited and infrequent

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Wetlands & Shoreland Permitting
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Future Staffing Considerations
 GIS Specialist
 “Re-tooling” of existing CAD Technicians

GIS, GPS, and other evolving technologies
 Special Projects Engineer (previously funded position)

Water Supply, Treatment, and Environmental
 Field Inspector
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Engineering Division
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Engineering: Budget and Revenues 2011
Direct Expenses
and Revenues
2011
Direct Expenses
and Revenues
2012 (Budget)*
Labor & Benefits
$877,461
$860,000
Expenses (Equipment & Supplies)
$29,330
$34,100
$906,791
$894,100
Category
Total Budget
Less Inspection Fees Collected
$27,089
Less Other Fees (Main Extensions, Flow
Tests…) Collected
$143,463
Total (Rate Supported)
Less Capitalized Labor (Design & Inspection)
Remaining Non-Capitalized/Non-Fee
supported Labor and Expenses
(Net engineering Expense)
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Engineering Division
$736,239
$282,928
$453,331
$30,000
$40,000
$824,100
$300,000
$524,100
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Engineering: Efficiency and Effectiveness
Category
Value (2011)
Capital Projects
Construction/Contractor Costs
Capitalized Labor (Design & Inspection)
Engineering and Inspection as a Percent of
Construction
Number of Capital Project Work Orders
Average Project Cost
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Engineering Division
$3,720,924
$282,928
7.60%
58
$64,144
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Engineering: Non-Capitalized and
Non-Fee Supported Expenses
 Net Engineering Expense (2011): $453,331
 What does it support?
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Water Supply
Distribution
Customer Service
Finance
 How?
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How: Water Supply
 Source assessment (wells)
 Pump design
 Treatment: design & technical support
 Permitting
 Watershed Management
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How: Distribution
 Mapping
 Customer response
 Technical support
 Cross connection surveys (in house and consultants)
 Meter sizing
 Fire Flows for Hydrant Coding
 GIS Support
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How: Customer Service
 New customer initiation

Application, sizing, inspection, fee collection & processing
 Cross connection review
 Pressure complaints
 Project information
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Engineering Division
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How: Finance
 Fixed assets – Main Pipe Inventory
 Asset additions and retirements
 Fee processing
 Capital planning
 Rate Case testimony and support
 Invoice approval and coding
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Engineering Division
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Engineering
and the
Strategic Plan
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Engineering Division
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Strategy #1
Protect and Sustain our Water Resources
Strategic Plan
 Maintain ownership of watershed
land and well head properties
 Continue investment in the
Company’s watershed plan
 Promote water conservation
 Educate communities regarding
Engineering’s Role
 Mapping
 Monitoring (quantity/level)
 Stormwater improvement and
enhancement
 Public Education
the location and value of
watersheds. Work with
communities to develop local
zoning that protects our water
sources
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Engineering Division
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Strategy #3
Maintain Fiscally Sound Operating Practices
that Enhance Access to Long-Term Capital Markets
Strategic Plan
 Work with Public Utilities
Commission to establish a rate
making structure that allows fiscal
stability through periods of
regulatory lag, inclement weather
and increased operating costs
Engineering’s Role
 Provide technical support
 Ensure that the risk of aging
infrastructure assessed and
minimized
 Continued evaluation and
 Ensure that the long term capital
 Identify lowest possible cost
 Follow least cost planning
enhancement of fiscal operations
to maximize bond ratings
source of long-term bonding
necessary to fund capital
expenditures
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Engineering Division
plan is technically and financially
feasible and documented
principles
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Strategy #4
Maintain Customer Confidence and Support
Strategic Plan

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Engineering’s Role
Maintain 100% compliance with all New
Hampshire Public Utilities Commission rules
and regulations

Competitive bidding and procurement
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Seek efficient project delivery
Maintain service level of less than 1% of
customer complaints resolved without
intervention from the New Hampshire Public
Utilities Commission
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Communicate capital initiatives to our
customers
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Apply company policies and technical
standards fairly and consistently
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Communicate customer service initiatives and
promote customer education through our
website, customer mailings and community
meetings

Maintain skilled analysis of customer meter
reading and fees to ensure timely and accurate
billings
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Strategy #6
Meet Customer Expectations for Quantity
and Quality of Water
Strategic Plan
 Invest in and maintain water
treatment equipment that insures
100% compliance with the Safe
Drinking Water Act’s primary water
quality standards
 Invest in and maintain water
treatment equipment that addresses
secondary or aesthetic water quality
standards
 Invest in and maintain water supply
facilities that ensure delivery of water
pressure within established State and
Local guidelines
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Engineering Division
Engineering’s Role
 Maintain in-house technical expertise
 Manage outside consultants
 Source evaluation and monitoring
 Design services
 Planning for:
 Efficient use of assets and
resources
 Source redundancy and security
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Strategy #7
Manage the Company’s Assets to Provide Cost Effective,
Uninterrupted Provision of Water Service
Strategic Plan
Engineering’s Role
 Implement an Asset Management plan
 Lead Asset Management and Capital
to optimize the maintenance and
replacement of the Company’s assets to
minimize their life cycle costs
 Invest in information technology to
efficiently allow employees to interface
with operating systems in order to
enhance the operation of the
distribution, customer service and
financial organizations
Planning Initiative
 Implement GIS
 Evaluate alternative energy
opportunities to power our facilities
 Make efficiency a design priority
 Invest in sustainable (green)
technologies that lower life cycle
expenses
 Maintain unaccounted for water at less
than 15%
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Engineering Division
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Moving Forward: Initiatives
 Asset Management

GIS
 Planning for:
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Increased asset utilization
Redundancy and security
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Engineering:
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
STRENGTHS
 Staff: Experienced, knowledgeable, customer focused, cross trained and longevity
 Good buried asset inventory
 Engineering Manager that can focus on the day to day
 Chief Engineer that can devote time to long range planning
 Company/Engineering has a strong regulatory and legislative presence
 Well respected by our regulators, the NHDES, NHPUC and EPA
 Willingness to engage in public forums (Merrimack River Watershed, NH & NEWWA,
Regional Planning Commissions, Local Economic Development Commissions, etc.)
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Engineering:
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
WEAKNESSES
 Systems to project data and information to our customers are out step with current
delivery applications
 Data retrieval systems are not user friendly
 Time reporting and timesheet structure does not allow for analysis and assessment

Difficult to assess goal and objective attainment
 Engineering map & drawing files are not consistent with Distribution
 Long range planning was a low priority – need to catch up
 Staff shortage – GIS, Water Supply (Special Projects) Engineer, Inspector
 Lack condition assessment tools for buried infrastructure
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Engineering:
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
OPPORTUNITIES
 Asset Management (to be presented at a future meeting)
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Initiate a transition to GIS based mapping, design and information
delivery
Allow for company wide access, use, and participation
GPS
 City utility projects offer an opportunity to partner with the City on
water main replacement projects
 Remain engaged in public activities (State and regional planning)
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Engineering Division
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Engineering:
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
THREATS
 Untimely staff departure would result in a loss of institutional
knowledge
 Aging infrastructure
 Downward pressure on rates
 Lack of task/activity variation
 Capital water main replacement program may not align with City
utility projects reducing partnering opportunities in the future
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Questions?
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