Officials want to open competition for public pipe projects

August 2018

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has introduced a bill to amend three federal acts and open the bidding process for government-assisted water infrastructure projects to all materials, including plastic.

Senate Bill 3121 calls for "maximum open and free competition" in procuring projects receiving federal tax dollars under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Safe Drinking Act and Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act.

Introduced June 25 and referred to the Senate's Committee on Environment and Public Works, the so-called Water Infrastructure Transparency Act is similar to legislation proposed in March by U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas). Babin introduced the Municipal Infrastructure Savings and Transparency Act to open the bidding process for publicly-funded projects, such as roads, bridges and dams in addition to water systems, to cost-effective building materials.