Durham advances $35.6m Jordan Lake WTP contract, targets $20m in federal WRDA funding
City of Durham Department of Water Management, North Carolina · Meeting date: September 10, 2026 · Published: September 16, 2026
The city council moved forward with major capital procurements, including a design-build contract with CDM Constructors, while federal lobbyists outlined a strategy to accelerate projects and cut costs through a proposed reimbursement mechanism in the House WRDA bill.
Key points
- The council advanced a $32.3 million design-build services contract with CDM Constructors for the Jordan Lake Water Supply Program Durham Water Treatment Plant, with total costs capped at $35.6 million.
- Federal lobbyists reported that a $20 million environmental infrastructure request for Durham's water and wastewater projects has been included in the House Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill.
- Proposed WRDA language would allow the city to execute infrastructure work locally and be reimbursed by the Army Corps of Engineers, a mechanism expected to accelerate project delivery.
- Additional wastewater infrastructure investments moving forward include over $7.2 million in combined lift station improvements awarded to Carolina Civilworks.
Full report
The City of Durham, North Carolina, is advancing a suite of major water and wastewater capital projects while simultaneously maneuvering to secure significant federal backing.
During a September 10 work session, the city council advanced a $32.3 million design-build services contract with CDM Constructors, Inc. for the Jordan Lake Water Supply Program (JLWSP) Durham Water Treatment Plant project. The contract, which includes a contingency fund bringing the total authorized amount to $35.6 million, was placed on the consent agenda for final approval.
The council also advanced two construction awards to Carolina Civilworks, Inc. for wastewater collection system upgrades. These include a $2.5 million total authorization for the Downing Creek Lift Station Improvements Project and a $4.6 million total authorization for the Audubon and Glenn View Lift Station Improvements Project.
To support its growing environmental infrastructure needs, the city is actively pursuing federal funding avenues. During a federal legislative update, lobbyists from the Ferguson Group informed the council that a $20 million environmental infrastructure request for Durham has been successfully included in the House version of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill, which is reauthorized every two years.
According to the lobbying team, the pending legislation includes language that would shift the traditional federal project management model. Rather than relying on the Army Corps of Engineers to execute the construction—which currently faces a backlog of projects—the proposed language would allow Durham to complete the infrastructure work locally and subsequently seek reimbursement from the Corps. Lobbyists noted this mechanism would allow projects to advance more quickly and ultimately prove less expensive for the municipality.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: September 10, 2026 City Council Work Session, City of Durham Department of Water Management