Asset management strategies have been generating interest in the water infrastructure sector for the last decade. A recent study from McGraw-Hill Construction (MHC) in collaboration with engineering consultant CH2M Hill, Denver, published in the "Water Infrastructure Asset Management SmartMarket Report," demonstrates that asset management practices have begun to take hold at water utilities, and more growth in those practices is expected in the next five years.
For wet-infrastructure contractors, this shift to using asset management will have implications for future business opportunities. Asset management helps determine the types of projects water utilities will pursue and their ability to fund these projects. Therefore, understanding what asset management is, the expected growth in its adoption and the way it influences investments can allow water contractors to chart their business course and determine the best future opportunities.