For the first time in the Tampa Water Department’s history, an engineering construction team has been formed as a proactive approach to combat soaring construction costs.
As the city works to complete critical infrastructure work, the new Engineering Construction Crew is helping the city save money while also helping projects move along faster.
Since the pandemic, labor and material costs have increased drastically, putting a strain on funding. With the addition of the Engineering Construction Crew, the Tampa Water Department can complete a variety of infrastructure work in-house.
According to officials, this allows the department to have more oversight on the construction process, and ultimately complete the work at a fraction of what it would cost to hire a third-party contractor.
The highly skilled nine-person team is responsible for completing a variety of projects, from installing water meters to extending water mains. Since the crew began working in late 2023, the team has saved more than $400,000 in construction costs.
“The City of Tampa is dedicated to revitalizing our water infrastructure and providing the best possible service to our customers,” said Mayor Jane Castor. “This team will enable us to complete more projects quickly and efficiently, stretching our dollars to the best extent possible.”
In addition to reducing construction costs, the team will also:
- Help with the City’s affordable housing goal by connecting housing developments to utility services quicker and cheaper.
- Expedite the completion of construction projects.
- Give the Tampa Water Department more oversight on specific infrastructure work.
Team members have a combined 90 years of experience in their field, as well as direct experience working on city infrastructure projects.
