Corporate Support
Corporate
Support consists of 12 business units that provide the financial
planning, human resource, transportation, information technology
and communications support that the Operations, Treatment
and Planning, Programming and Quality Control Groups need
to carry out SAWS' critical mission each day. Corporate Services
department directors report directly to the President/CEO
and have played a significant role in streamlining SAWS business
processes.
In 2002, the Contracting Department centralized
SAWS purchasing and contracting work to include construction,
consulting and other professional services contracts. Contracting
also manages a community-leading Small, Minority and Woman
Business Program which is designed to bring contracting opportunities
to this category of vendors and consultants.
SAWS' Customer Service reorganized its department and established
a first-class call center operation to increase customer call
handling capabilities. SAWS also extended its customer service
center office hours and began to accept credit card payments to
give customers more options in handling their SAWS accounts.
With San Antonio Water System being
the second-largest energy customer in the
City, a new Office of Energy Management
was created to respond to State legislative
initiatives and rising energy costs. In less than
a year in operation, SAWS was able to trim
more than $3 million from its 2002 energy bills.
Effective public information and involvement programs
have been key elements to SAWS' recent successes in water
supply development and water conservation. SAWS' youth education
program, H2O University, and mass media public service announcement
campaigns were recognized by state and national organizations
for creative communications excellence.
From backhoes to personal computers
to grade school water and environmental
curriculum, SAWS Corporate Support
finished 2002 with an impressive tally of
business efficiencies and peer recognition for
outstanding programs.
