AWWA ACE94250

For many municipal utilities, the construction of new water treatment facilities is one of the most expensive and visible capital investments they will make. Consequently, the utility will be under even more pressure than usual to deliver a product of the highest quality at the lowest cost. Cost overruns, claims, perceptions, and even personalities can turn an exemplary project into a disaster. How can these pitfalls be avoided? In many instances, the root of the problems can be traced back to the goals and implementation of the chosen construction contracting method. There are nearly as many ways to contract plant construction as there are pitfalls to be avoided. Two utilities in Texas, the City of Arlington and the City of Sherman, have completed construction of new water treatment facilities in the past few years. The contracting arrangements selected were very different but the cities had one thing in common - both had specific issues which needed to be addressed and they tailored their contracts in a way which best suited their needs. This paper provides a description of the goals and drawbacks to various contractual arrangements and provides a case study of the Arlington and Sherman projects.