Key drivers and best practices for effective municipal infrastructure maintenance

Abstract

This study investigates the optimization of municipal infrastructure maintenance, focusing on the challenges and strategies required to ensure efficient and sustainable maintenance practices in South Africa. The motivation for this research stems from the persistent issues of resource mismanagement, insufficient budgeting, and the lack of advanced maintenance strategies that hinder infrastructure performance in municipalities. The methodology employed for this study was broken into 8 distinct phases. The methodology flow starts with the study's research design, a thorough review of related literature, conducting interviews, or surveying industry experts using a questionnaire. This is followed by reviewing existing literature coupled with the reviewing of expert interviews. From here the research methodology moves to the analysis of data, a systematic review of literature, and analysis of interviews. The final two steps involve the interpretation of results, the results are analyzed utilizing the Likert scale using statistical measures such as the mean, standard deviation, and variance of the data and concluding the results. The results reveal that insufficient resource allocation, poor asset management, and limited integration of advanced technologies, such as IoT and predictive maintenance tools, are the primary obstacles to effective maintenance. However, strategies like lifecycle planning and the implementation of proactive maintenance were identified as strengths, supported by a high Cronbach's alpha value of 0.82 and 0.92 for the survey evaluation of challenges experienced and strategies of maintenance respectively, indicating reliable internal consistency. The study concludes that municipalities must prioritize resource allocation, integrate advanced technologies, and enhance workforce training to improve infrastructure reliability and longevity. Recommendations include adopting a more proactive maintenance approach, leveraging data-driven technologies, and ensuring regulatory compliance to enhance operational efficiency and public service delivery. This research provides valuable insights for improving municipal maintenance strategies, with implications for better infrastructure management and cost effective practices.