PTENES

Home / Cases / Water and sanitation utility

Water and sanitation utility · IPE

Universal coverage targets with a legal deadline: a sanitation utility matched its plan to its capacity to deliver

The investment plan was ambitious and approved, but works were running late and operating teams did not see themselves in the plan.

49 → 60Overall index
CompleteFormat
1,380Respondents (53% response rate)
Context

Water and sanitation utility with about 2,600 employees serving dozens of municipalities under concession contracts. Brazil's new sanitation framework set water and sewage coverage targets with fixed deadlines, and the investment plan was expanded.

Challenge

Capital spending had been below 70% of plan for two years. Each division had its own tracking, and operating teams received new assets without having taken part in planning.

Instrument applied

Strategic Planning (IPE)

Why this instrument. IPE Complete compares how executives, engineering and operations see each stage of the strategy cycle, with a broad sample and a breakdown by region.

Format: Complete · Respondents: 1,380 of 2,600 (53%)

See the instrumentTake the free test

First application

Where the organization stood

Overall index
49 Band: Emerging 0100
  • Stagnant
  • Reactive
  • Emerging
  • Structured
  • Advanced
  • Benchmark
Results by pillar
Strategic and Context Analysis 57 Strategy Formulation 54 Business Model and Viability 49 Cascading and Execution 41 Governance and Strategic Risk 52 Communication, Culture and Monitoring 43
Plan executed

From results to action, in three waves

  1. 90 days

    Strategic priorities narrowed and owners defined.

  2. 6 months

    Follow-up routine running across all areas.

  3. 12 months

    Strategy reviewed based on results and a new measurement.

Reapplication

Before and after, pillar by pillar

Reapplied after 12 months: 49 (Emerging) → 60 (Structured).

BeforeAfter Strategic and Context Analysis 57 65 (+8) Strategy Formulation 54 62 (+8) Business Model and Viability 49 58 (+9) Cascading and Execution 41 55 (+14) Governance and Strategic Risk 52 62 (+10) Communication, Culture and… 43 56 (+13)
Business outcomes

What changed in operations

  • Overall index moved from 49 (Emerging) to 60 (Structured).
  • Capital spending rose from 68% to 81% of plan over the year.
  • Water distribution losses fell about 2 percentage points.
  • Works handed over to operations with fewer technical punch-list items.
Lessons

What this case teaches

  • The context analysis was right; what was missing was linking the plan to delivery capacity.
  • Bringing operations in before tendering avoided rework after construction.
  • The largest perception gap pointed exactly to the pillar holding results back.

Want to see where your organization stands?

Start with the free quick test or talk to the team about the full application.

Take the free testTalk to the teamSee all cases

Other cases

IPE Power distribution utility

A well-crafted plan that never reached the regional units: the gap between formulation and execution

Cascading and Execution from 44 to 62

Read the case → IPE Private university

Falling enrollment and a plan that never left the rector's office: a university reorganized execution

Cascading and Execution from 42 to 56

Read the case → IS Auto parts manufacturer

From build-to-print to its own solutions: an auto parts supplier got ready for electrification

Networks and Collaboration from 36 to 50

Read the case →

Cases are presented without identifying clients. Sectors, sizes and figures are examples built to show the method.

WhatsApp