Appendix E

Table E.1. Socioprofessional characteristics and opinions of nonproblematic utility managers

Variables or distinctive features	Utility II	Utility III	Utility V	Utility VII
Age	Aged	Of mature years	Aged	Aged
Experience	Little experienced	Experienced	Very experienced	Experienced
Training background in the field of drinking water	Learning on the job, and a three-day training course	Learning on the job	Learning on the job, and a few training sessions	Learning on the job
Percentage of overall work time devoted to drinking water utility management	20 percent	25 percent	30 percent	25 to 30 percent
Level of knowledge of new (2001) QDWR	Good knowledge	Good knowledge	No knowledge	Partial knowledge
Other duties	Road works; sewer; building	Director of Public Works: roads, sewer, etc.	Sewer; public works	Sewer; road works

Table E.1. Socioprofessional characteristics and opinions of nonproblematic utility managers (continued-1)

Variables or distinctive features	Utility II	Utility III	Utility V	Utility VII
Opinion of 2001 QDWR training requirements	Training requirements pertinent	Supplementary training necessary	No specific opinion	Training requirements pertinent, but a little too complex
Training adequacy for 2001 QDWR	Training not adequate; needed to catch up	Training adequate, but needed improvements concerning regulatory follow-up	Training sufficient as things stood (a year from retirement)	Training not adequate; planned to catch up
Satisfaction with infrastructure and equipments performance and reliability	Satisfied	Satisfied	Total satisfaction	Satisfied
Utility management aspects in which 2001 QDWR brought improvements	Water supply safety	Water quality monitoring (control)	Not acquainted enough with new DWR to express an opinion	General knowledge of drinking water issues in rise thanks to new DWR
Utility readiness for full compliance with 2001 QDWR	Not 100 percent ready to apply new DWR; cf. the above-mentioned details	Not totally ready	Not acquainted with new DWR	Not totally ready; especially financially

Table E.1. Socioprofessional characteristics and opinions of nonproblematic utility managers (continued-2)

Variables or distinctive features	Utility II	Utility III	Utility V	Utility VII
Probable period of time needed to achieve full compliance with 2001 QDWR	Needed more than a year to be 100 percent ready to comply with new DWR	Needed a few months to fully comply	No idea; not acquainted with new DWR	Needed 1 through 3 years to be able to fully comply
General opinion of 2001 QDWR	Generally speaking, had a good appreciation of the new DWR	No specific opinion	No knowledge of new DWR	Making involved parties aware of their responsibilities and accountable for them
Specifically noticed 2001 QDWR positive and negative points	Not able to make a judgment	New DWR positive point(s): strengthening of total coliform bacteria testing in small utilities	No knowledge of 2001 DWR	New DWR positive point(s): making training compulsory for all water utility managers

Table E.2. Organizational factor specificities in nonproblematic utilities

Variables or distinctive features	Utility II	Utility III	Utility V	Utility VII
Networking specificities	QME publications; socioprofessional contacts: consulting engineers; peers	Contacts with consulting engineer firms	Socioprofessional contacts	Socioprofessional contacts: Quebec Water Technicians Association; peers
Year-long assistant availability	Assistant available (responsible for half of work time allotted to utility management)	No assistant	No assistant	No assistant
Temporary substitute availability	No substitute	Substitute available	Substitute available	Substitute available
Way assistant and/or substitute learned job	Assistant learned on the job	Substitute learned on the job	Substitute learned on the job	Substitute learned on the job
Assistant’s/substitute’s training adequacy for 2001 QDWR	Assistant will need even more training to meet new requirements	Substitute will need further training	Substitute will need further training	Substitute’s training is inadequate; needs to catch up
Infrastructure and equipments reliability	Infrastructure and equipments reliable	Infrastructure and equipments reliable	Infrastructure and equipments reliable and efficient	Infrastructure and equipments reliable

Table E.2. Organizational factor specificities in nonproblematic utilities (continued)

Variables or distinctive features	Utility II	Utility III	Utility V	Utility VII
Necessity of improvements to infrastructure and equipments in view of 2001 QDWR	Improvements necessary for infrastructure and equipments alike	Some improvements in infrastructure and equipments may be desirable	Improvements needed but not in infrastructure and equipments	Improvements necessary for infrastructure and equipments alike
Kind of improvements needed or expected	Big improvements expected in equipments; some infrastructure changes to come; managing staff: from part time to full time	Improvements: infrastructure and equipments	Improvements: urgently in need of staff	Improvements: equipments, staff
Prioritization of the drinking water issue by local authorities	Drinking water is a major concern for local authorities	Drinking water issues are a priority for local officials, mayor in particular	Drinking water is an important issue for elected representatives	Elected representatives more open-minded about drinking water issues than before
Level of support displayed by local authorities	All possible municipal support offered to utility managers	Vigorous municipal support to water utility managers	Support from local authorities satisfactory (positive attitude)	Rising support from local officials with new DWR

Table E.3. Socioprofessional characteristics and opinions of problematic utility managers

Variables or distinctive features

Utility I

Utility IV

Utility VI

Utility VIII

Utility IX

Utility X

Age

Of mature years

Aged

Experience

Very little experienced

Little experienced

Very experienced

Very little experienced

Experienced

Very little experienced

Training background in the field of drinking water

General basic education in civil engineering, plus learning on the job

Learning on the job

Learning on the job, general secondary education, and catch-up course in water quality

Complementary studies diploma in water sanitation

Learning on the job

Percentage of overall work time devoted to drinking water utility management

20 percent of work time devoted to the drinking water utility management

25 percent of work time devoted to utility management

50 percent of work time devoted to utility management

10percent of work time devoted to utility management

33 percent of work time devoted to utility management

Level of knowledge of new (2001) QDWR

Good knowledge of 2001 QDWR

Partial knowledge of 2001 QDWR

Table E.3. Socioprofessional characteristics and opinions of problematic utility managers (continued-1)

Variables or distinctive features

Utility I

Utility IV

Utility VI

Utility VIII

Utility IX

Utility X

Other duties

Other duties: town planning; road works; sewer; public works

Director of Public Works: road works, sewage, public works

Road works; snow clearance; public works

Sewer; wastewater treatment plant

Whole municipal administration

Road works; building

Opinion of 2001 QDWR training requirements

Supplementary training needed and welcomed to comply with 2001 QDWR

Training requirements pertinent, but will need time to be feasible

Training requirements pertinent

Training requirements pertinent; supplementary training welcomed

Training requirements pertinent

Training requirements acceptable if they do not demand too much time

Training adequacy for 2001 QDWR

Principal manager’s training adequate

Principal manager’s training not yet adequate

Principal manager’s training adequate, but needs to catch up

Principal manager’s training not adequate; needs to catch up

Principal manager’s training not adequate; further training indispensable

Principal manager’s training not adequate; further training necessary

Satisfaction with infrastructure and equipments performance and reliability

Satisfied with infrastructure and equipments performance and reliability

Table E.3. Socioprofessional characteristics and opinions of problematic utility managers (continued-2)

Variables or distinctive features

Utility I

Utility IV

Utility VI

Utility VIII

Utility IX

Utility X

Utility management aspects in which 2001 QDWR brought improvements

Water supply system safer and better manageable because of undergone and upcoming improvements in relation to new DWR

Improvements in water quality control; however, much more time to devote to utility management

Improvements: better water quality control

Improvements: not big for equipments, but significant as for water supply sources (active search for alternative sources under way)

Improvements: most probably more manageable, since safer, water distribution system

Improvements: better utility management through better water quality control

Utility readiness for full compliance with 2001 QDWR

No; in search of technical assistance, financial support from provincial authorities, and of at least one substitute

No; in need of federal/provincial financial contribution

100 percent ready for compliance with 2001 QDWR

No; especially from a technical point of view

No; not straight away

No; human resources available, but undergoing training

Probable period of time needed to achieve full compliance with 2001 QDWR

Could not indicate a deadline for full compliance with 2001 QDWR

Needed less than a year to fully comply with new DWR

Without delay

A year would be probably sufficient to fully comply

2 years needed to be able to fully comply

A year might appear too short of a time to fully comply

Table E.3. Socioprofessional characteristics and opinions of problematic utility managers (continued-3)

Variables or distinctive features

Utility I

Utility IV

Utility VI

Utility VIII

Utility IX

Utility X

General opinion of 2001 QDWR

Generally speaking, 2001 QDWR are more difficult to comply with but reassuring from a safety standpoint

Generally speaking, satisfied with new DWR

No specific feeling

New DWR came up to expectations as for regulatory control

Satisfied with water supply securitizing

No specific opinion

Specifically noticed 2001 QDWR positive and negative points

2001 QDWR positive point(s): satisfied with the new DWR in their entirety

2001 QDWR negative point(s): too high spending for small municipalities; required water sample numbers too high in relation to municipality size

2001 QDWR positive point(s): saw no negative point

2001 QDWR negative point(s): required water sample numbers might be excessive

2001 QDWR positive/negative point(s): Saw no weak point; may be funding

2001 QDWR negative point(s): a little too much rigor (severe measures)

Table E.4. Organizational factor specificities in problematic utilities

Variables or distinctive features

Utility I

Utility IV

Utility VI

Utility VIII

Utility IX

Utility X

Networking specificities

Local journals; QME publications

QME publications; Quebec Municipalities Federation; socioprofessional contacts with QME agents

Journals; contacts with engineers, peers, Quebec Water Sanitation Society; accredited laboratories

“Réseau Environnement”; consulting engineer firms; accredited laboratories; meetings with peers at conferences, seminars, etc.

None

Socioprofessional contacts: consulting engineer firms; participation to seminars

Year-long assistant availability

No assistant

Assistant available

No assistant

Temporary substitute availability

Substitute available

No substitute

Substitute available

Way assistant and/or substitute learned job

Substitute learned on the job

Assistant and substitute learned on the job

Assistant learned on the job

Substitute learned on the job

Assistant’s/substitute’s training adequacy for 2001 QDWR

Substitute’s training inadequate

Both assistant and substitute will need further training

Assistant’s training insufficient; needs to catch up

Substitute’s training insufficient; further training indispensable

Substitute’s training insufficient; further training necessary

Table E.4. Organizational factor specificities in problematic utilities (continued-1)

Variables or distinctive features

Utility I

Utility IV

Utility VI

Utility VIII

Utility IX

Utility X

Infrastructure and equipments reliability

Infrastructure and equipments reliable

Infrastructure and equipments performance acceptable

Infrastructure and equipments reliable

Necessity of improvements to infrastructure and equipments in view of 2001 QDWR

Improvements needed in infrastructure and equipments in view of 2001 QDWR

Improvements needed in chlorine dosage system: continuous readings, emergency system

Improvements needed in accordance with new DWR

Improvements needed in equipments, flushing methods, checking pumps, and the like

Improvements needed in relation to new DWR

Improvements needed in infrastructure and equipments

Kind of improvements needed or expected

Improvements needed in infrastructure, equipments, and staff

Improvements: equipments and staff

Improvements: equipments and staff training

Improvements: essentially equipments, then infrastructure and staff

Improvements desirable all along the line

Improvements desired: emergency chlorinator, colorimeter (fieldwork kit)

Table E.4. Organizational factor specificities in problematic utilities (continued-2)

Variables or distinctive features

Utility I

Utility IV

Utility VI

Utility VIII

Utility IX

Utility X

Prioritization of the drinking water issue by local authorities

Local officials not prioritizing drinking water issue to desired point

Drinking water is a major concern for local authorities

Local officials not always prioritizing drinking water issue

Drinking water is a major concern for local authorities

Level of support displayed by local authorities

Local support not always available: too much discussion and beating about the bush

Sufficient support: priority for local authorities and for citizens

Moderate support from local officials, especially for regulatory compliance

Some support, but not always with dispatch

All needed support from local authorities

Sufficient support from local officials