linked to tradition and ritual and disregarding long held beliefs can cause considerable upset and offence. From these environments the Levels of Service and the subsequent performance measures were established: • Provide an overall level of service that meets or exceeds residents’ expectations. • Provide a level of water quality that meets community needs and is appropriate to the degree of public health risk. • Provide a reliable water supply service. • Provide a service that is timely and responsive to customer needs. • Provide a sustainable water service. The method of developing and establishing the Levels of Service are described in Chapter 2: Levels of Service. 1.3 Asset Management Plans The Asset Management Plan is a rational and realistic approach to the long-term planning of water supply. It explains the current standard of service, the future expectation of stakeholders and the assumptions about the changing environment. Subsequent asset management decisions are explained within the context of cost and sustainable funding constraints of the Council. The asset management plan is a compilation of the day to day planning undertaken by the engineering professionals of the Assets and Services Department. Asset management is primarily undertaken by the Operations and Maintenance Engineer, the Planning and Development Engineer and their respective teams supported by the departmental accountant. The plan is a compilation of their work placed in the long term perspective and interpreted within the context of the objectives of the Council. The Council acknowledges asset management planning as a tool to delivering effective, efficient and sustained service to their community. The management of water assets is subject to continual improvement. Issues identified in the previous plans have been actioned or are being addressed as a part of a continuous process of business improvement Chapter 6: Plan Improvement and Monitoring. The 2014 Water Supply Asset Management Plan updates the asset management plan of 2012 which was preceded by plans in 2008, 2006, 2000 & 1997. The asset management plan is a key document of essential information to meet the requirements of Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2002. The plan contains fundamental details of the water supply activity that are used and published in the Long Term Plan The draft plan is presented to the Asset and Services Committee for scrutiny before being forwarded to Council for approval. The plan seeks to satisfy the requirements of a basic asset management plan as defined by the Auditor General: 1. Define the service level. 2. Define the timeframe (lifecycle). 3. Describe the asset (physical, financial). Page 4