This phrase has quickly become the unofficial Bonton Associates mantra, but what does it mean? Good question.
It all starts with our mission: To lead communities toward a safe, sustainable water future. To do that requires a certain level of shared knowledge and understanding — and the best way we know to get there is by demystifying the business, regulation and science of water resources. (In our practice, this means municipal water, storm water and wastewater.)
What is there to demystify? Plenty. Let’s dive a little deeper into each of these areas:
Business is about time and money. Whether it’s for a private company or public entity, every client project has both human and financial success metrics. This includes capital budgeting, asset management, financing, scheduling, workflow processes and many other concerns — any of which can throw a project off course. (Utilities, especially, must balance cost and revenue drivers with their obligation to deliver reliable service through maintenance, operation and capital investments in their infrastructure.) By offering complete program management services to our clients, Bonton ensures that all business considerations are mutually understood and fully addressed.
Regulations are challenging — and changing. Large-scale water projects are far more than simply engineering or operational challenges. As a valued advocate and resource, our team helps clients navigate regulations and regulatory bodies at all levels, from local/parish/county to state and federal. This includes dealing with political structures, sweating every detail and solving problems through trust-based relationships. Our services range from project-specific regulatory guidance to advice on regulatory matters related to ongoing facility operation.
Science is a complex, powerful partner. Our primary job is to apply hydraulic and environmental engineering principles to deliver the right solutions for our clients’ operational challenges. Advanced analytics and data-driven strategies play an important role in how we understand these challenges and create solutions to meet them. For us, science and technology help filter out noise and reveal trends, but we’re the first to admit it can also be a bit confusing and hard to decipher for non-engineers. That’s why we always work to make the science behind our actions accessible and understandable for every project stakeholder.
Every time we “demystify” by uncovering meaningful insights, creating clarity and providing well-defined guidance for our clients, it gets us closer to our ultimate vision: To be a trusted source of thought leadership and data-driven innovation, creating a water future where people and resources thrive. In this sense, “get smarter about water” is much more than a mantra. It’s a call to action for everyone in the water ecosystem — and it’s a conversation we’re always willing to have.
Stay tuned for coming posts about how we help clients get smarter every day. Want to know more? Just get in touch.