Asset Management Seminar
October 21-22, 2026
Portland, Oregon
Asset Management
Effective asset management is essential for utilities striving to deliver reliable service, optimize investments, and meet evolving regulatory, financial, and community expectations. AWWA’s new two-day Asset Management Seminar provides utility professionals with a practical, structured introduction to asset management principles, while also exploring how utilities can advance toward more mature and strategic asset management practices.
Registration is Open
Portland, OR:
October 21-22, 2026
Oregon Convention Center
(co-located with AWWA’s WaterSmart Innovations Conference)
Registration Fee:
$495 AWWA Member
$695 Non-member
Who Should Attend this Seminar?
Utility managers and supervisors
Engineers and planners
Asset management staff
Capital planning and finance staff
Operations and maintenance leaders
Anyone involved in long-term infrastructure, risk, or investment planning
Seminar Program
Through a combination of presentations, real-world case studies, and interactive group exercises, participants will learn how to develop and implement core asset management elements such as level of service goals, inventories, criticality assessments, life cycle costing, business case evaluation, and risk-based decision-making frameworks. The seminar emphasizes practical application, helping attendees translate concepts into actionable steps they can implement at their utilities.
Learning Objectives
The AWWA Asset Management Seminar is designed for utilities at various stages of asset management maturity and will benefit staff involved in planning, engineering, operations, finance, and management who support long-term infrastructure decision-making.
- Understand the fundamentals of asset management and how they support utility goals related to service delivery, financial sustainability, risk management, and infrastructure resiliency.
- Identify the 5 key components of Asset Management and how they help align organizational objectives with asset investment decisions.
- Differentiate between strategic and asset-specific planning, including how Asset Management for linear and vertical assets support day-to-day and long-term decision-making.
- Apply risk-based approaches to asset management, including assessing likelihood and consequence of failure to prioritize investments and capital projects.
- Understand asset management maturity and recognize practical steps utilities can take to progress from foundational practices to more advanced applications.
- Incorporate considerations such as resilience, equity, and sustainability into asset management and capital planning processes.
- Participate in peer discussions and group exercises that reinforce learning through real-world scenarios and shared experiences from utilities of varying size and complexity.
Program Agenda & Hours
Times are approximate.
Day One
Check-In: Please check in at the table between 7:30 – 8:00 a.m.
- 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Introduction of the Course/Introduction of Participants and Ice Breaker
8:30 – 9:15 a.m. What is Asset Management (AM)? Why Asset Management? AM Program Goals/AM Roadmap/Business Case Evaluation for AM
9:15 – 10:00 a.m. Levels of Service and Performance Management
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. Break
10:15 – 10:45 a.m. Level of Service Workshop
10:45 – 11:30 a.m. Asset Definition/Asset Register/Inventory (GIS, CMMS, and AM Support Tools)
11:30 a.m. – Noon Asset Inventory Workshop
Noon – 1:15 p.m. Lunch (Included)
1:15 – 2:00 p.m. Condition Assessment and Likelihood of Failure
2:00 – 2:45 p.m. Consequence of Failure/Criticality
2:45 – 3:00 p.m. Break
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Risk Assessment
3:45 – 4:00 p.m. Wrap Up/Logistics for Tomorrow
4:00 – 4:15 p.m. Open Discussion/Networking Time for Participants and Trainers
Day Two
- 8:00 – 8:15 a.m. Introduction for the Day and Ice Breaker (Different from the Day Before)
8:15 – 8:30 a.m. Review of Day 1 Content & Q&A Regarding Day 1 Content
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Life Cycle Costing
9:30 – 9:45 a.m. Break
9:45 – 10:15 a.m. Life Cycle Costing Workshop
10:15 -10:45 a.m. Maintenance and Reliability Solutions, including Third Party and LOS Solutions
10:45 – 11:15 a.m. Capital Improvement Planning
11:15 – 11:45 a.m. Revisiting the BCE for AM
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch (on your own)
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. Data Management (Collecting, Storing, Analyzing, Communicating, Acting)
1:30 – 2:15 p.m. Long-Term Financial Planning
2:15 – 2:30 p.m. Break
2:30 – 3:00 p.m. AM Plans
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Implementing and Sustaining AM
3:45 – 4:00 p.m. Summary/Wrap-Up/Available Resources/References
Meet Our Expert
Heather Himmelberger
Director at Southwest Environmental Finance Center at the University of New Mexico
Heather Himmelberger is a registered professional engineer with over 35 years of experience working with water and wastewater utilities and in the environmental arena. She has worked for the Southwest Environmental Finance Center (EFC) since 1994 and became its Director in 1996. As Director, she has assisted state, local and tribal governments with the broad financial implications of providing water and wastewater services and complying with state and federal regulations.
Ms. Himmelberger’s work with water and/or wastewater systems covers all 50 states and all 5 U.S. Territories. This broad, geographic vision provides an excellent understanding of the issues facing all types of systems, but particularly small systems. Her specialties include asset management, water loss, regulatory compliance, funding, collaborations, and technical managerial, and financial capacity development. She provides training and direct technical assistance to water and wastewater utilities of all sizes.
Oregon Convention Center
777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.
Portland, OR 97232
Getting to the Oregon Convention Center: The DoubleTree by Hilton Portland is located just a half-mile from the Oregon Convention Center, about a 5-10 minute walk through Portland’s walkable Lloyd District. Along the way, attendees can enjoy nearby dining, shopping, and entertainment options throughout the area.
Prefer not to walk? The MAX Light Rail offers a quick and easy ride directly to the Convention Center stop in approximately 5 minutes (just 1–2 stops), with trains arriving every 15 minutes or less. The City of Portland will provide complimentary MAX Light Rail passes for AWWA attendees who choose to use light rail to and from the convention center.
Book Your Room Today!
The Asset Management seminar will be co-located with AWWA’s WaterSmart Innovations Conference, with a shared hotel block.
A block of rooms is reserved at The DoubleTree by Hilton Portland. Book your room by September 30th for the $169 group rate (or when block fills, whichever is first).
Alert: AWWA is aware of multiple unauthorized organizations contacting attendees to solicit hotel rooms. For your protection, reserve hotel accommodations using only the link provided by AWWA. Reservations made through any other housing services company cannot be guaranteed by AWWA and could result in hidden charges, unusual restrictions, or incorrect hotel placement. You may report fraudulent activity to awwaconferences@awwa.org.
Seminar Registration Cancellation Policy: AWWA must receive cancellations in writing. Phone cancellations are not accepted. All cancellations dated more than four weeks prior to seminar’s first day will receive a refund, minus a 25% administrative fee. Within four weeks of the seminar start date: cancellations will not be refunded; however, substitute registrants are welcome. Email requests for substitutions or cancellations to service@awwa.org.
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