Network asset performance modelling

In May 1997, the Deputy Prime Minister of the UK (John Prescott) convened a Water Summit to spell out to the water companies their obligations on network leakage and water efficiency. One element of the response of Thames Water's Directors was to ask their internal consultancy, Corporate Modelling, to act as a ‘Leakage Think Tank’. The remit was to develop a framework for understanding leakage which could be used to help assess policy alternatives. Our team of up to 4 was asked to ‘challenge existing orthodoxy’ and provide outside-the-box thinking over a 2–3 year time-frame. This article traces the broad thrust of a wide-ranging investigation, outlining the approach, benefits and subsequent spin-offs, and picking out lessons applicable to other strategic OR. Technical details are recorded elsewhere. Thames Water is the largest UK water company. It supplies water to most of London and to many other cities around the world. The daily output of London's treatment works could give the entire world's population a glass of water (provided they came to collect it). Most of London's water is extracted from the River Thames. Huge storage reservoirs (seen when flying into Heathrow) are used to buffer variations between winter and summer flows.