AWWA ACE60021

Pinellas County needed to replace more than 140 miles of 2-inch galvanized steel pipe which had been in service for 30 to 70 years. The original plan was to complete the work in 6 years using traditional design, permitting and construction approaches. Water chemistry changes in the regional water supply system serving the County, resulting from a shift from groundwater sources to a mix of ground, surface and desalinated water, required that the County employ an accelerated approach to complete replacement of this aging piping. The County retained CH2M HILL to function as Program Manager to lead a public/private team of five engineering firms, six contractors and numerous utility and regulatory agencies to complete the 140-mile, $40 million program within 18 months. While the goals for the Pinellas County Utilities program were to replace aging pipe and limit the potential for red water issues in its system resulting from source water quality changes, the Program has demonstrated significant additional advantages of this public/private venture. This paper provides an overview of the approaches used to implement the program and their benefits, and focuses on three key elements of Program execution - contracting approach, teamwork, and public involvement/issue resolution - that currently have the Program on track for completion under budget and within schedule. Includes figures.