Application of performance indicators in water utilities management - a case-study in Portugal

This paper presents some issues concerning water supply systems assessment through performance indicators, based upon research work recently carried o ut in Portugal about water utilities. A proposal of 50 performance indicato rs divided into five different groups is presented here, namely structural indicators, operational indicators, water and service quality indicators, p ersonnel indicators and economic indicators. These indicators were associat ed with a hierarchical structure of knowledge or development according to d ifferent levels: basic level, development level and strategic level. The pe rformance indicators, structure, their implementation and assessment method ology and examples of some indicators, use concerning the characterisation or assessment of a water utility are also presented in the paper.