Atlanta taps AECOM and Atkins-led JVs for $24m water and wastewater PMO contract

Atlanta taps AECOM and Atkins-led JVs for $24m water and wastewater PMO contractThe city has approved a three-year agreement to oversee its Capital Improvements Plan, allocating an initial $8 million to manage major water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

City council members approved a $24 million contract for a Program Management Services Team (PMST) to support the Department of Watershed Management's Central CIP Project Management Office.

The AECOM-CERM Joint Venture will manage the water infrastructure program, while Atlanta Infrastructure Solutions will handle wastewater.

The committee authorized an $8 million transfer from watershed reserves to cover the first year of the three-year contract.

The committee also approved a $1.5 million stopgap contract addition for residential water meter installations while a full solicitation is prepared.

The Atlanta City Utilities Committee has greenlit a $24 million program management contract to oversee the delivery of the Department of Watershed Management's (DWM) Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) and One Water Strategic Plan. Approved during a February 24 meeting, the Program Management Services Team (PMST) agreement spans a three-year term and includes two one-year renewal options. The work will be divided between two joint ventures to support the city's Central CIP Project Management Office. According to DWM Deputy Commissioner Yolanda Broom, the AECOM-CERM Joint Venture—consisting of AECOM Technical Services and Corporate Environmental Risk Management—will provide program management services specifically for the city's water infrastructure program. AECOM brings extensive municipal water experience to the role, having previously managed a $3.9 billion capital improvement program for Chicago's Department of Water Management and a $41.5 million wastewater resiliency program in New York City. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Infrastructure Solutions Joint Venture, formed by Atkins Realis USA and Graham Associates, has been tapped to oversee the wastewater infrastructure program. To fund the initial phase of the contract, the committee approved a companion ordinance transferring $8 million from watershed reserves into the fiscal year 2026 Water and Wastewater Renewal and Extension Fund, which will cover the first year of services for both vendors. The remaining balance of the $24 million contract is expressly contingent upon the adoption of the city's fiscal year 2027 and 2028 budgets. The programmatic push comes as the city also prepares to review its progress on wider treatment plant improvements. During the meeting, Committee Chair Dustin Hillis requested a line-by-line presentation for the next committee meeting detailing plant improvements, timelines, and costs related to a recently settled Watershed Management litigation matter. In other DWM business, the committee approved a $1.5 million funding addition to an existing contract with the Rockdale Pipeline and Integral Municipal Services Corporation joint venture. Assistant Commissioner Hugh Smith noted the funds will act as a temporary vehicle to handle 3/4-inch to 2-inch residential water meter installations and relocations starting in April, while the department prepares a full solicitation for dedicated meter services. Chair Hillis also noted that a conversation regarding the updating of city meter fees, which have not changed in over 15 years, is forthcoming.