Budget Message / Highlights - Metropolitan Water Reclamation ...

METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT OF GREATER CHICAGO
2009 BUDGET
3. Ensure availability and security of information systems.
ITD will continue providing network support and interface standards to ensure compatibility and reliability of District
computer systems. Aging routers, switches and internet connections are being evaluated and replaced with equipment that has
greater capacity and reliability; 80% of this task has been accomplished. ITD will also continue to protect electronic
information through effective security, authentication policies and procedures that will facilitate sharing among authorized
personnel while ensuring the validity and retention of the data while providing backup for recovery. ITD will continue
updating its disaster recovery program and will further refine it by improving on testing methodology.
Disaster prevention has been refined by utilizing external security expertise to identify vulnerabilities, improve audit
procedures, and recommend security standards. ITD has begun improvement of the disaster recovery plan by expanding the
network recovery module. In collaboration with the Engineering Department, ITD has begun to study and recommend future
disaster-tolerant computer room environments.
4. Proactively evaluate and recommend available/emerging technologies for applicability to the District operations,
performance management, and sustainability plan.
The ITSP (2007) has highlighted the need to implement a service-oriented architecture, with greater utilization of Web
Services to support the streamlining of District business processes. ITD is implementing Web Services technologies on an
enterprise level that can be used for internal and external information exchange. Web services technology is being used to
develop management and business process portals that will improve productivity through enhanced information accessibility in
a timely manner while reducing costs associated with information access and sharing. ITD will endeavor to proactively
identify solution development opportunities to address various District business needs with available or emerging technologies.
This will be accomplished through a wide variety of parallel efforts, including: (a) close collaboration with other departments
during the implementation of projects specified in the ITSP; (b) periodic meetings with the IT Steering Committee and ITSPC;
(c) periodic communication events with other departments, with ITD presenting industry best practices and discussing potential
departmental needs; (d) brainstorming sessions between the ITD Section Managers and Section Managers from other
departments; (e) encouraging ITD staff to expand their understanding of wastewater industry trends, and (f) conducting
periodic review of District technologies for purposes of updating and improving existing systems, methods, and technologies.
ITD will continue to explore technologies designed to conserve energy, reduce consumption of fuels, and promote recycling.
Towards this goal, ITD completed 30% (2008) of implementation of district-wide video communications to reduce staff hours
and fuel associated with travel among various locations.
5. Promote increased use of technology to improve efficiency of business processes and sustainable practices.
ITD has long promoted the effective application of technology to enable business process improvements. With the advent of
the newly updated ITSP, ITD is expanding this emphasis on business process improvements during 2008 and beyond. In
particular, with the upgrade to SAP ERP 6.0 and the implementation of the SAP NetWeaver technology stack, many new
opportunities for business process improvement will surface. In addition, during 2008, ITD encouraged collaborative efforts
among departments to drive out new business process improvement goals and objectives, using business process modeling and
analysis to capture improvement opportunities and roll those opportunities into application development. For instance, the
deployment of enterprise GIS-enabled applications will demand extensive re-thinking of field-related business processes for
industrial use tracking, stormwater facilities maintenance, buried assets maintenance, and others. ITD plans to collaborate with
departments to get these new business process designs in place. The ITD has already partnered (2008) with relevant
departments for implementing a performance management system, a sustainability action plan, a document management
system, and an Internet-based Privately Owned Treatment Works Administration and Compliance System (IPACS).
6. Provide for the development and professional enrichment of ITD staff.
ITD will continue to promote training and education to provide and maintain a competent, professional workforce empowered
for decision making. This will be accomplished by developing and implementing a training curriculum for professional staff
that will provide training and exposure on current and emerging technologies, continuing application and technical education
aligned with the District’s information technology architecture and standards, and a program that allows more opportunity for
participation in the management process via cross training and job rotation.
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