# Water Design-Build Improvement Act of 2022

This bill makes it easier for water infrastructure projects to use faster, more collaborative construction methods. Right now, most water projects funded by the federal government follow traditional approaches where the government hires a designer first, then later hires a separate contractor to build it. This bill allows water projects to instead use "design-build" or "construction management at-risk" methods, where the designer and builder work together from the start, collaborating on plans and construction simultaneously.

The practical benefit is that these collaborative approaches can save time and money. When designers and builders work together from day one instead of sequentially, they can identify problems earlier, make adjustments on the fly, and avoid costly delays. For communities waiting for water infrastructure improvements—whether that's fixing aging pipes, treating contaminated water, or building new water systems—this could mean projects get completed faster and potentially at lower cost. The bill applies to water projects that receive federal financing through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, which helps fund everything from municipal water systems to wastewater treatment facilities.

The bill also requires the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers to study how well these collaborative methods actually work for water projects within six months of the law passing. They need to figure out what's currently stopping more projects from using these methods, what benefits they actually provide, and what training federal agencies need to implement them properly. This research will help determine whether these faster construction methods should become more standard across the country's water infrastructure programs.

Water Design-Build Improvement Act of 2022

Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]

Water Design-Build Improvement Act of 2022 This bill allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to use the collaborative project delivery method for certain water infrastructure projects (e.g., building and upgrading wastewater and drinking water treatment systems). This method involves collaboration among those involved at various stages of a project from design through completion of construction. The bill also requires the EPA and USACE to study the use of the collaborative project delivery method in these projects and make the results public.