Repair, Rehabilitation or Replace

When an asset failure occurs, a utility can either repair, rehab, or replace the asset.  

The selection of repair, rehabilitation, or replacement involves: 

• • • considering the feasibility of the options 
    • the condition of the existing asset 
    • the capital cost of each option 
    • the operations and maintenance cost after the repair, rehabilitation, or replacement 
    • the remaining useful life in each case 
    • the decay pattern 
    • asset criticality 
    • energy use 
    • the impact on the level of service. 

The cost factors, including capital expenses and O&M, with the information on useful lives provide valuable information regarding overall life cycle cost, while the condition, feasibility, level of service, and decay pattern provide insight into other reasons to pick one option over another. The overall risk of the asset might also drive the decision to replace or rehabilitate over repair. 

High-risk assets are likely to be replaced, while low-risk assets are likely to be repaired. The actions available for assets in the moderate risk category range from monitoring to repairing or replacing the asset depending on whether the asset is moderate risk because it is likely to fail, because it will have a bad consequence, or both. 

Proactively replacing pipe – Kevin Campanella, P.E., Assistant Director of Asset Management, Department of Public Utilities, City of Columbus, OH