Rowland(Water(District(Strategic(Plan(

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Rowland Water DistrictStrategic Plan

Effective Action for Sustainable Progress

Adopted February 2013

Mission:Bound by our core values - Accountability, Communication and Teamwork - we are committed to providing the highest level of service to our customers.

DEDICATED 6 RELIABLE 6 OUTSTANDING 6 PROFESSIONALS E R V I C E

Values:Accountability:Rowland Water District holds itself to the highest standard of accountability, to our customers, our employees and all of our stakeholders. We are dedicated to ensuring that the decisions made are in the best interests of those stakeholders, and we are committed to the idea that when it comes to service in our district, the buck stops here. We believe accountability is the backbone of a great organization.Communication:Open lines of communication are vital to maintaining these high standards. We always want to hear from our customer base on how we can improve service. !e Rowland Water District Board, management and sta" build upon the free #ow of information to ensure that our customers know what’s going on with their water supplier, and that we are responding to our customers’ needs.Teamwork:Any great organization is a team of individuals working together to achieve success. Our team at Rowland Water District is built upon professional service to our community. All moving parts work together to make sure we are providing each customer optimum service for their water needs.

Rowland Water District is Unique:We believe our relationship with our customers is unique among California water agencies. Applying the core values listed above sets us apart. Just as importantly, we have a strong sense of community; we don’t just service a customer base, we provide a vital resource to our families, friends and neighbors. We never lose sight of that. We invest in our team and our operation to ensure we are utilizing the latest technology to provide value to our ratepayers. Our goal is always to improve and build upon our reputation for delivering high quality water and superior customer service to our community.

Then & Now

When Rowland Water District was formed sixty years ago, the district was tasked with providing water service to 200 local ranchers and farmers in a rural, agricultural community. Over the years, the water district has evolved to meet the changing needs of a dynamic and rapidly growing service area.

Like our community, our operation looks very di"erent today than it did in 1953. We currently deliver 14 million gallons of safe drinking water to approximately 58,000 people every day. We maintain 150 miles of potable water pipeline and 25 miles of recycled water pipeline to reliably serve 13,500 customer connections across 17.2 square miles and portions of $ve di"erent cities. Our commitment to e%ciency and e"ectiveness has enabled us to maintain the same number of employees for the past 25 years.

!ough the size and complexity of district operations has changed over the years, our commitment to a set of core values – accountability, communication, and teamwork – has remained constant.

Careful strategic planning is the key to identifying and meeting future service demand while staying true to these values. A strategic plan focuses the district’s e"orts on the priorities that matter most to ratepayers. It allows board members to weigh policy decisions, setting the tone for e"ective governance for the years ahead, and creates a living document that will allow us to adapt to future challenges, meeting the ever-evolving needs of our stakeholders.

In this document, Rowland Water District addresses a number of strategic initiatives that will guide us in the years ahead. !ese include: fostering a culture of communication; delivering services at an exceptional value; investing in the professional growth of board and sta" members; diversifying our water portfolio to increase supply security; maintaining system reliability with proactive, cost-saving strategies; planning for intelligent growth; and managing the district’s $nancial resources e"ectively and transparently. !ese guiding principles will enable us to continue serving our ratepayers with the same dedication, reliability, and professionalism in the years ahead that we have strived for over the past 60 years.

1953 1967

Ken DeckGeneral Manager

Rowland Water District: A Legacy of Excellence

Communication

Value

Internal and external messaging depends on well-aligned and clear communication in order to lay the groundwork for customer engagement and assure true understanding of the complexities of water delivery to the region.

Enhance the individual customer experience through comprehensive communications, lobby design improvements, technological e%ciencies and increased community engagement.Build strong community relationships by promoting an open and transparent dialogue among all Rowland Water customers and partners.Prioritize development and implementation of sta" training programs and customer education e"orts that provide both direct and indirect bene$t to the community.Stimulate and promote customer involvement in the community by participating in local events and regional partnerships.

Customer value relies on service excellence delivered through responsible governance, prudent !nancial planning and a commitment to stewardship of the region’s water supply.

Build awareness of the true value of water through enhanced communication with customers, thereby building their con$dence that they are paying a fair amount for a quality, reliable service.Establish a frequent, practical and informative conversation with customers that reminds them of the intrinsic services and bene$ts they receive every day and helps them better understand how Rowland Water District’s rates are calculated.Provide partners and customers with speci$c information that expresses the relative value of water and builds long-term trust.Consider and establish opportunities that support shared services options, further decreasing water costs and customer impacts.

Organizational Development

Water Supply Diversity

In order to decrease reliance on expensive imported water, reliable alternative water sources must be aggressively pursued. Rowland Water must also hold a leadership position on water supply diversity in the region.

Commit to securing a long-term water supply for the region by proactively pursuing alternative supplies, limiting reliance on imported water and prioritizing diversi$cation of the district’s water source portfolio.Continue to invest in local recycled water programs to reduce dependency on imported potable water for non-potable needs.Promote reduction of water demand and e"ective water conservation through comprehensive practices and education programs.Set a tone of leadership and collaboration by promoting cooperative agreements across jurisdictional boundaries and developing e"ective regional partnerships.

Innovative and unique investment in organizational development fosters guided growth of the sta" and board of directors, resulting in increased opportunities and an elevated level of service for customers.

Review and anticipate all functional positions within Rowland Water regularly to maintain adequate sta%ng levels and prepare for long-term succession planning needs.Provide e%cient and e"ective policies and procedures to ensure that Rowland Water sta" operates as a Best In Class organization.Engage in sta" training and board of directors development programs that enhance job performance, operational e%ciencies and long-term e"ectiveness.Encourage a proactive, solutions-oriented work environment that fosters personal accountability, teamwork and professionalism.

System Reliability

Capital Investment

Future investment in capital improvements must be responsible, well-guided and monitored with discipline, with consideration given to public health, the environment and overall economy.

Extend the life of the water system through prudent capital investment programs and thorough maintenance plans.Routinely monitor and upgrade facilities to address current regulation requirements and anticipate emerging needs.Plan and prepare for future infrastructure needs based on thoughtful planning recommendations, predicted $nancial and regulatory constraints and best practices.

A commitment to innovation, proactive operations and maintenance programs will ensure the maximum e"ective use of infrastructure and ease future customer cost burdens.

Use technology and innovation to improve the long-term water system and manage resources responsibly. Continue to implement systems and programs across the organization that enhance operational e%ciencies and ultimately keep customer costs as low as responsibly possible.Optimize infrastructure maintenance by exceeding industry standards and leveraging assets. Manage equipment and resources responsibly through early detection, stable repair systems and critical supervision by sta".

Financial Stewardship

Fiscal responsibility depends on operations that are e#cient, transparent and accountable, with decisions that are a direct re$ection of customer interests.

Ensure long-term $nancial stability and independence despite unanticipated economic conditions, unplanned events or natural disasters.Seek and generate alternative revenue sources that perpetuate ongoing rate stabilization for customers including shared services and other innovative opportunities.Utilize a sustainable resource allocation plan to best promote $nancial stewardship.Manage $nancial risk reasonably and prudently to maintain a stable reserve base and highest available credit rating, as well as reduce potential risk.

Future

A focus on Rowland Water District’s guiding principles will enable the district to move forward with adaptive, e"ective strategies to guide prudent decision making and long-term vision.

Recognize the key challenges facing Rowland Water.Identify the goals and strategies necessary to overcome these challenges.Create priorities to determine actions and an appropriate allocation of resources.Professionally implement the strategies and tactics necessary to achieve identi$ed goals.Build ongoing performance measurement mechanisms and periodic evaluation systems to ensure delivery on the priorities established by Rowland Water.Communicate plans, results and achievements to the customer openly, transparently and frequently.Educate future generations through robust and comprehensive customer engagement.

District Service Area

Board of Directors

Teresa P. RiosDivision 1

Anthony J. LimaDivision 2

John E. BellahDivision 3

Robert W. LewisDivision 4

Szu Pei Lu-YangDivision 5

Rowland Water District | 3021 S. Fullerton Rd. | Rowland Heights, CA 91748 | (562) 697-1726 | www.RowlandWater.com

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West CovinaLa Puente

IndustryHacienda Heights

La Habra Heights

Rowland Heights

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