Operations and Maintenance Best Practices
Background
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's Village Safe Water (VSW) and Remote Maintenance Worker (RMW) Programs, in collaboration with the Rural Utility Business Advisor (RUBA) Program and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), have developed criteria for assessing operations and maintenance capacity of rural water and wastewater utilities. The criteria, referred to as Operations and Maintenance Best Practices, has been used for determining eligibility and prioritization for community sanitation projects since mid-2015.
Scores are broken into three categories: Technical, Financial, and Managerial. For all questions or concerns pertaining to Technical scores, please contact your assigned RMW. Contact your assigned RUBA regarding Managerial and Financial scoring concerns. If you feel that any portion of your community's score is inaccurate, it is important that you contact either your RMW or RUBA so that the data may be updated or corrected. RMW or RUBA contact list.
Scores are published twice per year, according to the timeline below. It is important to note that the Best Practice score accounts for 15% of the points possible for SDS project scoring and 40% of the points possible for CIP project scoring. The most effective way to increase your community's chance of receiving project funding is by improving your Best Practice score. The most effective way to increase your Best Practice score is by working with RUBA and your RMW.
Best Practices Guidance Documents
Best Practice Monthly Timeline
Community Deadlines
- December 31
- Deadline to provide information to RUBA & RMW
- June 30
- Deadline to provide information to RUBA & RMW
Release of Scores
- March 1
- Spring Scores are posted (Used to funding eligibility & project scoring)
- September 1
- Fall Scores are posted (not used for funding eligibility & project scoring)
Agency Activity
- January through February
- Compile Scores
- July through August
- Compile Scores
Community Activity
- March through June
- Work with RUBA & RMW to improve score
- September through December
- Work with RUBA & RMW to improve score
- Year Round
- Communities are familiar with their latest Best Practices score, and work consistently with technical assistance providers to improve the score before each community deadline.
Resources to Help Communities Improve Best Practices Scores
Category | Scoring Criteria | Contacts | Resources and Sample Documents |
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Technical |
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Managerial |
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Financial |
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Best Practices Payroll Liability Compliance Score
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has experienced delays in processing payments and reports due to COVID-19, which may have impacted Best Practices scores for some communities. More information is available in this letter.
Fall 2020 Best Practices Scores
Select a community from the tabs below to see the Fall 2020 Best Practices Score:
- Adak
- Akhiok
- Akiachak
- Akiak
- Akutan
- Alakanuk
- Alatna
- Aleknagik
- Allakaket
- Ambler
- Anaktuvak Pass
- Anderson
- Angoon
- Aniak
- Anvik
- Arctic Village
- Atka
- Atmautluak
- Atqasuk
- Barrow
- Beaver
- Bethel
- Birch Creek
- Brevig Mission
- Buckland
- Cantwell
- Chalkyitsik
- Chefornak
- Chenega Bay
- Chevak
- Chignik
- Chignik Lagoon
- Chignik Lake
- Chistochina
- Chuathbaluk
- Circle
- Clark's Point
- Coffman Cove
- Cold Bay
- Craig
- Crooked Creek
- Deering
- Dillingham
- Diomede
- Dot Lake Village
- Eagle City
- Eagle Village
- Eek
- Egegik
- Ekwok
- Elfin Cove
- Elim
- Emmonak
- False Pass
- Fort Yukon
- Galena
- Gambell
- Golovin
- Goodnews Bay
- Grayling
- Gulkana
- Gustavus
- Healy Lake
- Holy Cross
- Hoonah
- Hooper Bay
- Hughes
- Huslia
- Hydaburg
- Igiugig
- Iliamna
- Ivanof Bay
- Kachemak Selo
- Kake
- Kaktovik
- Kaltag
- Karluk
- Kasaan
- Kasigluk
- Kiana
- King Cove
- Kipnuk
- Kivalina
- Klawock
- Klukwan
- Kobuk
- Kokhanok
- Koliganek
- Kongiganak
- Kotlik
- Kotzebue
- Koyuk
- Koyukuk
- Kwethluk
- Kwigillingok
- Larsen Bay
- Levelock
- Lime Village
- Lower Kalskag
- Manley
- Manokotak
- Marshall
- McGrath
- Mekoryuk
- Metlakatla
- Minto
- Mountain Village
- Nanwalek
- Napakiak
- Napaskiak
- Nelson Lagoon
- Nenana
- New Stuyahok
- Newhalen
- Newtok
- Nightmute
- Nikolaevsk
- Nikolai
- Nikolski
- Ninilchik
- Noatak
- Nome
- Nondalton
- Noorvik
- Northway Village
- Nuiqsut
- Nulato
- Nunam Iqua
- Nunapitchuk
- Old Harbor
- Oscarville
- Ouzinkie
- Pedro Bay
- Pelican
- Perryville
- Pilot Point
- Pilot Station
- Pitka's Point
- Platinum
- Point Hope
- Point Lay
- Port Alexander
- Port Graham
- Port Heiden
- Port Lions
- Port Protection
- Portage Creek
- Quinhagak
- Rampart
- Ruby
- Russian Mission
- Saint George
- Saint Mary's
- Saint Michael
- Saint Paul
- Sand Point
- Savoonga
- Saxman
- Scammon Bay
- Selawik
- Seldovia
- Shageluk
- Shaktoolik
- Shishmaref
- Shungnak
- Slana
- Sleetmute
- South Naknek
- Stebbins
- Stevens Village
- Stony River
- Takotna
- Tanacross
- Tanana
- Tatitlek
- Tazlina
- Teller
- Tetlin
- Thorne Bay
- Togiak
- Toksook Bay
- Tuluksak
- Tuntutuliak
- Tununak
- Twin Hills
- Tyonek
- Unalakleet
- Upper Kalskag
- Venetie
- Voznesenka
- Wainwright
- Wales
- White Mountain
- Whittier
- Yakutat
Previous Best Practices Scores
Sanitary Deficiency System (SDS)
To review projects in SDS for your community, follow the steps below to access projects in the Sanitation Tracking and Reporting System (STARS):
- Access the Alaska Area Login for STARS
- Click on the "Public Access" link to access Alaska's SDS projects contacts page. (Do not enter any information in the "Login Name" or "Password" boxes)
- At the bottom of the page click on "Proposed Alaska Sanitation Needs - By Community."
- Select a community to view on the SDS list.