The Failure Experience Improvement System (FEIS) is a software tool which was developed in order to contribute to a minimisation of hazardous events and failures within water supply systems and thus to achieve increased water safety. Based on the analysis of failure systems by applying Social Network Analysis (SNA) to the water supply infrastructure, the FEIS enables water utilities to identify causes and effects of failure events and to locate vulnerable points in their infrastructure. Failure events and the relations between them are the basis for the FEIS database. This database draws upon information on failure events which have occurred in practice at water utilities in Austria and on a literature review and survey of guidelines. The FEIS, which is accessed online, is currently used by 6 Austrian water utilities for development and test purposes. It provides both graphical visualisation of the failure network and analytical indicators to evaluate failure events. This way, it supports the utilities in identifying corrective actions in order to minimise the probability of failure occurrence and to limit the damage to the system once a failure has occurred.

Duration:
12.2007-11.2008

Contact:
DI Mario Unterwainig
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Department für Wasser, Atmosphäre und Umwelt, Institut für Siedlungswasserbau, Industriewasserwirtschaft und Gewässerschutz
Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Wien
Tel.: +43 1 36006 5807
E-mail: mario.unterwainig@boku.ac.at