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Public sector project owners, engineering & design firms, and contractors are grappling with project cost overruns, delays, and contractual disputes that are slowing execution and delivery of critical water and wastewater infrastructure. These factors have created a swell of new policies and project experiences that are accelerating the use of collaborative project delivery approaches.

Four primary approaches—design-build, progressive design-build, construction manager at-risk, and, to a lesser extent, public-private partnerships—are expanding the menu of project delivery methods for water and wastewater utilities. This shift across the infrastructure landscape has energized leading engineering and construction companies.

Proponents of collaborative contracting methods aim to overcome the challenges associated with the traditional design-bid-build approach, including faster timelines, improved quality control, and cost reductions. Legislative adoption has been fueled by a combination of aging infrastructure, new technology & solutions, and overarching financial constraints imposed on cities and owners of water and wastewater utilities. 

This Insight Report provides an in-depth analysis of current legislation—as of Q3 2025—for each delivery method across the 50 U.S. states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. It also analyzes 587 projects with a total investment of US$47.4 billion and the 308 active companies in this emerging space.