In common with other Local Governments that provide infrastructure throughout Australia, in Burnside there is a shortfall in asset renewal expenditure over that required to maintain the present levels of service. South Australia’s City of Burnside manages engineering infrastructure assets with a replacement value of $296 million. A population of 41,000 largely funds an annual asset renewal program of $4 million in a budget of $21 million.
Project Manager Assets, Peter Wood, said asset data collection and analysis over the past ten years has led to developing a Network Deterioration Index and an Asset Intervention Score to more effectively report on asset deterioration. The Burnside Asset Renewal Tool (BART) uses an Asset Intervention Score (AIS) for each footpath, kerb, road seal and pavement.
“The AIS establishes prioritised schedules of renewal projects that help balance the need for acceptable service levels in the community against the limited funds available,” Peter Wood said.
From these schedules, annual and triennial capital works programs can be developed and modified according to the funding emphasis placed on each asset category.
“A Network Deterioration Index permits a snapshot of the overall health of the asset network to be produced,” he said.
BART provides long term benefits by applying consistent prioritisation methods and it is capable of being adapted to the requirements of any engineering infrastructure asset owner and most asset categories.
Peter Wood said that the community benefits by having a high degree of confidence in the manner in which asset renewal funds are allocated.
“Having capital renewal programs based on sound, objective principles assists Council’s budget formulation process and in the communication of the capital works programs to its electors,” he said. “The philosophy underpinning the key elements of BART is simple. Condition rating data and ‘non-structural’ factors are combined to produce prioritised schedules of asset renewal projects and ‘report cards’ on the overall health of the network.”
For more details contact Peter Wood on (08) 8366 4251 or email pwood@burnside.sa.gov.au
