As the water utility for more than 1.5 million people in Colorado’s largest metro area, Denver Water is responsible for 20 dams, what will soon be four treatment plants, 3,000 miles of distribution pipe and other infrastructure. Maintaining all that, replacing lead service pipes and meeting current and future needs for its customers is a significant undertaking, with more than $1 billion of work now under contract.
Robert Mahoney, Denver Water chief engineer, says the utility uses a 10-year infrastructure master plan to help prioritize projects. The utility also uses several different project delivery methods—design-bid-build, design-build, construction manager at-risk and construction manager/general contractor—depending on the complexity of work and how much the prime contractor will self-perform.