Employee Suggestions Save OCWD $47,000
Employees at the Orange County Water District saved the agency more than $47,000 in the first year of a new employee suggestion program.
The cost- and time-saving suggestions ranged from reducing overtime to computerizing and simplifying the agency’s purchasing process, from 13 steps to a two-step system.
“We have received some really important and well-thought-out suggestions,” said Daniel E. Griset, president of the district’s board of directors.
With his suggestions on ways to reduce the cost of handling purchase orders, employee Dave Batson helped to save the agency $28,000, officials said.
When a high-pressure pump failed recently, shutting down the plant, employee Kevin Burkland attempted to locate a replacement coil. He found that the only available part was in Finland, and would cost $6,500 and take several weeks to be delivered. Burkland decided to take the pump to a local electric company to be fixed. The plant was back running in two days, at a savings of more than $5,800.
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