An effective maintenance program contributes to the efficient operation of a water system by minimizing the cost of system repairs and maximizing service to the consumer. Traditionally, maintenance programs have been directed toward repair of broken equipment. This approach is known as the “emergency repair syndrome” and works well only if there is a rich inventory of spare parts and a large group of friendly suppliers and operators who are willing to jump to the rescue at a moment's notice. This is the first in a series of three articles. Part one covers goals of a maintenance program such as: acting and not reacting; goals of routine maintenance; planned maintenance; preventive maintenance; predictive maintenance; and common sense maintenance.