@article {Blankenship:2008:1938-6478:8082,
	author = "Blankenship, Linda and Ramani, Roy",
	title = "SAM Made SIMPLE: WERF Project Develops Strategic Asset Management Tools and Practices to Optimize Use of Resources",
	journal = "Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation",
	volume = "2008",
	number = "7",
	year = "2008",
	abstract = "WERF has been dedicated to helping utilities meet future challenges of ensuring infrastructure sustainability through the use of strategic asset management (SAM.) According to the Request for Pre-Proposals that WERF issued for this research program, a “primary objective of (strategic) asset management is to determine the maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement strategy that will provide a defined level of service for existing infrastructure while minimizing whole of life cycle costs.” WERF has undertaken a research program that will help utilities address all of these elements. A first step in ensuring infrastructure sustainability is to gain the understanding and support of key decision makers. The research program has initially identified messages and tools that utilities can use to gain this understanding and support. Utilities must also learn from each other since there is no “one size fits all” approach to asset management. The process benchmarking component of the research program is assisting utilities in identifying and best practice that is appropriately adapted for the individual utility. Finally, the research is developing tools and guidance as they proceed with implementing these components.",
	pages = "8082-8092",
	url = "http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wef/wefproc/2008/00002008/00000007/art00050"
}