Efforts to hand down waterworks technologies to future generations

With 110 years of history behind it, the Waterworks Bureau boasts a rich accumulation of waterworks technologies developed through the unceasing efforts of our predecessors. The Bureau conducted a number of innovative research activities in the water service area, and has continued to incorporate the achievements of such research into its service to better meet user needs.
To ensure a stable supply of safe, high quality water and continue to offer sustainable and effective water service that satisfactorily meets the demands of the times, it is necessary to maintain and develop these waterworks technologies. In response to the growing nationwide concern about Japan’s so-called “Year 2007 Problem E(the majority of baby boomers will reach compulsory retirement age and retire from the workforce in 2007) and the resulting shortage of waterworks engineers, we will consider the necessary qualifications for waterworks engineers to serve the future needs of Osaka citizens from a long-term perspective, and will establish a practical research and study system and an effective technical training program while also encouraging technical exchanges with Japanese and foreign engineers. In doing so we aim to ensure that Osaka City’s proprietary waterworks technologies are handed down to future generations without fail.

Establishing a research system and promoting industry-government-academic cooperation

To ensure effective use of water resources by the Waterworks Bureau and offer a wider variety of customer-oriented service options, we will conduct in-depth analysis of the present state of relevant technical factors, while identifying and addressing technical matters to be worked out before developing a new waterworks system beyond the existing framework and drawing up new policy measures. In recognition of the importance of flexibly meeting customer needs and adopting innovative ideas not bound by current practice, we will formulate new policies for improving functions based on the existing waterworks system (step 1) and for establishing a new waterworks system (Step 2). We will then determine research themes, including a feasibility study of these plans.

Two steps for research activities

Step 1. Improvement of functions based on the existing waterworks system
Identify and sort out technical factors of the current waterworks system in terms of water volume, water quality, water pressure, environmental impact, risk management, and other important aspects of water service, so as to facilitate the establishment of new policies to enhance efficiency and increase the level of conventional service of “civil minimum Estandards that places emphasis on “publicness (transparent). Ebr> Step 2. Establishment of a new waterworks system
Identify and sort out variable technical factors to develop a new waterworks system in terms of water volume, water quality, water pressure, environmental impact, risk management, and other important aspects of water service, so as to facilitate the establishment of new policies to provide a wider range of service options to better meet diverse customer needs, based on the conventional service of “civil minimum Estandards that places emphasis on “publicness (transparent). E/p>

To conduct the necessary research, we will examine technical issues across all waterworks technologies and systematically sort them into the categories of “water pipe technology, E“construction technology, E“water purification technology, Eand “water service plan. EWe will also establish a research system through industry-government-academic cooperation and promote research for both public interest and commercial purposes.

Promoting research through industry-government-academic cooperation

[Page Handing Down Waterworks Technologies to the Future under Technical Information under Guide to Waterworks on the Osaka City Waterworks Bureau Website ends here.]