Interactive Tools for Owners and Operators

Asset management is the practice of managing infrastructure capital assets to minimize the total cost of owning and operating them, while delivering the service level customers desire. This management framework has been widely adopted by the water sector as a means to pursue and achieve sustainable infrastructure.

The following tools explain the benefits of asset management and ways to implement specific asset management practices for small systems.

On this page:

Factsheets

Interactive Tools for Owners and Operators

Asset Management: A Handbook

Asset Management: A Handbook for Small Public Water Systems – STEP Guide Series (PDF) (EPA 816-R-21-006) This guide is designed for owners and operators of small community water systems (CWSs). CWSs include all systems (both publicly and privately owned) with at least 25 year-round residential customers or 15 year-round service connections.

Electronic Preventive Maintenance Logs

The Electronic Preventive Maintenance Logs are a set of interactive pdf files to help operators of small ground water systems record and plan regular maintenance duties.  This file set contains fillable pdf logs for each month, which includes common daily, weekly, and monthly tasks performed by water system operators, as well as a suggested schedule of annual tasks.  This electronic version of the file set replaces the older physical cards previously available. Click on the link to access the complete file set.

Knowledge Retention Tool

The Knowledge Retention Tool Spreadsheet for Small Water Systems.xlsx(18 pp, 153 K) is an Excel spreadsheet that helps operators consolidate system information into one location, enabling increased organization and coordination among operators.  Designed to assist in personnel transition, the tool encompasses a wide variety of information that a new or contract operator would need to effectively manage and operate a small water system.

Recording from December 2020 webinar training on the tool. 

Water System Inventory

Taking Stock of Your Water System: A Simple Asset Inventory for Very Small Drinking Water Systems (PDF) (EPA 816-B-21-003)
This brochure is a guide to help very small water systems, such as manufactured home communities and homeowners associations, assess their condition by preparing a simple asset inventory.

Check-Up Program for Small Systems (CUPSS) Asset Management Tool

CUPSS was a free, easy-to-use, asset management tool for small drinking water and wastewater utilities that provided a simple, comprehensive approach based on the EPA's Simple Tools for Effective Performance (STEP) Guide series. While a system may continue to use CUPSS, since 2020, the tool is no longer updated nor available to download from the EPA’s webpage. Therefore, CUPSS may not be compatible with the latest computer operating systems. Water systems still utilizing CUPSS can use it to develop a/an:

  • Record of your assets,
  • Schedule of required tasks,
  • Understanding of your financial situation, and
  • Tailored asset management plan.


Users with newer versions of Windows may experience issues downloading CUPSS.  The CUPSS User's Guide includes instructions for how to install or use the CUPSS application. Also, check the Trouble Shooting Guide for answers to specific questions. Download:

Operation and Maintenance Resources for Small Drinking Water Systems

Effective operations and maintenance support overall system sustainability.

The Operation and Maintenance Resources for Small Drinking Water Systems page includes:

  • Information about how to identify treatment technologies that remove multiple contaminants,
  • Assistance for developing schedules for maintenance tasks, and
  • Checklists and logs for recording findings.

Building the Capacity of Drinking Water Systems

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Last updated on March 14, 2025