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Procurement Reform Taking Hold in U.S. Water and Wastewater Sector
 Water
and sewer rates are increasing across the country. The U.S. Conference of Mayors
says an estimated $3.8 trillion in spending is required over the next 20 years
for water and wastewater systems. According to the EPA, pipe represents 60% or
$2.28 trillion of that total, so focusing on pipe material selection is the
first step in helping to reduce these staggering costs. Unfortunately, outdated
procurement practices often prevent the most cost-effective materials from being
considered. “Only by modernizing procurement practices and the assumptions upon
which pipes are selected can municipalities achieve much needed cost-savings and
performance improvements in their underground infrastructure at a time of
dwindling resources,” says Richard F. Anderson, Ph.D., Senior Advisor, U.S.
Conference of Mayors Water Council.
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 The
American City County Exchange (ACCE), which launched about a year ago, is a
national network of village, town, city and county lawmakers seeking to advance
efficiency, limited government and free market principles at the local level.
ACCE operates in over 300 local jurisdictions in 48 of 50 states. Councilman Jon
D. Russell (Culpeper, VA), Director of the ACCE, believes that open selection
and procurement for piping can provide municipalities with significant savings
in public works projects, since these are the biggest financial drivers in local
budgets after labor costs.
 Click here
for a recent article by Councilman Russell which appeared in Public Works
Magazine (republished in American Legislator) entitled, Pipe
Dream? Review Pipe Procurement Policies to Keep Taxpayer Money from Going Down
the Drain. “Based on the size of the locality, tens of thousands or
possibly millions of dollars in cost savings could be realized by opening
procurement of piping material to fair and open competition,” says Russell.
Model Policy on Competitive Pipe Procurement for Local
Governments
The ACCE has developed a model policy for municipalities
for piping used in water and sewer projects. Essentially, the policy encourages
use of all piping materials that meet engineering standards. The policy does not
mandate the use of any particular pipe material, nor does it restrict the
ability of project engineers to use any piping material they deem appropriate.
Click here
for model policy.
Localities that Have Embraced Fair Bidding Have Saved
Millions
Critics of procurement reform have circulated dubious
“engineering” arguments suggesting that open procurement would lead to higher
costs and unduly complicate the job of design engineers. Councilman Russell’s
advice is for local councils to discount this misinformation and act in the
best interests of taxpayers. Thousands of jurisdictions have embraced
competitive bidding and have not encountered “engineering” problems. Instead, these localities have saved hundreds
of millions of dollars and improved their water and sewer networks through use of
durable PVC pipe instead of costlier, corrosion-prone ductile iron piping.
States Considering Legislation on Open Competition for
Water and Sewer Projects
 Bonner
R. Cohen, Ph.D. is a water infrastructure expert who has written extensively on
issues affecting local water and sewer systems. His latest article, Seizing
the Initiative: How States Can Help Themselves in Rehabilitating Underground
Water Infrastructure, appeared in American Legislator. It
provides an excellent counterpoint to the questionable “engineering” arguments put
forward by critics of procurement modernization.
Click here
to read.
Princeton, Illinois Council Says Yes to PVC Pipe
 In
an effort to improve their water system and reduce costs, Mayor Keith Cain and
the Princeton (IL) City Council voted unanimously to include PVC water pipe in its
procurement process. Former Princeton Water Department Superintendent Mike
Eggers, who favors iron piping, and the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association
argued against allowing PVC pipe in Princeton’s bids.
Click here
to read the full story which appeared in the Bureau County Republican
entitled, Material bids will ‘speak for themselves’.
Regards,
Bruce Hollands
Executive
Director | Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association
2711 LBJ Freeway, Suite
1000 | Dallas, TX 75234
T. 972.243.3902 ext. 1019 | F.
972.243.3907
www.uni-bell.org
  
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