Table of Contents
- Tales From Facility Operations: The Wild Goose Chase
- The Mystery of the Inflated Sewer Bill
- The Valve That Kept Things Flowing
- An Ounce of Prevention
- Final Thoughts
Tales From Facility Operations: The Wild Goose Chase
Facilities management is full of surprises—some frustrating, some amusing, and some that leave you scratching your head. One particular utility bill anomaly from a former workplace stands out as a textbook case of why metering and transponders are essential for tracking resource usage.
The Mystery of the Inflated Sewer Bill
It started as a routine financial review when we noticed a higher cost than expected in our sewer usage. The sewer line in question was downstream from most buildings, meaning that logically, its flow should have remained fairly stable. Yet, for months, the costs kept climbing with no clear reason why.
Naturally, the first instinct was to check for leaks—faulty pipes, broken infrastructure, or unauthorized water use. But each potential culprit came up empty. No plumbing failures, no excessive facility usage, no clear cause for the sudden rise.
So, the investigation dragged on.
The Valve That Kept Things Flowing
We could even see the water flowing in the sewer but couldn’t track down the source. Finally, someone noticed an interesting pattern—a specific valve, when turned, seemed to be the culprit, however it’s impact wasn’t immediate, but rather intermittent. And there in lied the clue – it must be engaging a pump. We tracked the line and found the pump downstream. It had been quietly sending treated water to a goose nesting pond nearby.
While the pond was a perfectly legitimate feature and someone likely had make the decision to keep it full for the geese, it came with one unintended consequence: the overflow discharged straight into the city sewer.
An Ounce of Prevention
To prevent your own wild goose chases, facilities teams should leverage metering tools and transponders that automate usage tracking for water, electricity, and sewer lines.
Eliminate guesswork when investigating cost anomalies
- Create real-time alerts for unusual resource consumption
- Help ensure utility costs are correctly allocated
Final Thoughts
Facilities management will always have a few unexpected surprises, but tracking the right data ensures those surprises don’t turn into expensive mysteries.
Because while geese may wander freely, your utility costs shouldn’t.
Would you like to learn more?
Related Resources:
- Facilities Management Overview
- What is the Best IWMS Software for Government?
- The State of Alaska Tackles Statewide Deferred Maintenance
- Why Capital Budgeting Software is Critical in Government Facilities
- Three Keys to Effective Space Management
- Facilities System Integration
- FacilityForce's IWMS Solution
