Dallas approves $17.5m SCADA service contract for water and stormwater networks

Dallas approves $17.5m SCADA service contract for water and stormwater networksThe three-year agreement will support eight distinct control systems, providing critical hardware, cybersecurity, and emergency programming for Dallas Water Utilities.

The city awarded a $17.5 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to Prime Controls LP, the sole proposer.

The agreement covers parts, server upgrades, and software support for water treatment, wastewater processing, and drainage infrastructure.

Dallas Water Utilities Director Sarah Standifer noted the contract provides emergency backstopping and ensures compliance with Department of Homeland Security requirements.

The Dallas City Council has approved a $17.5 million, three-year service price agreement with Prime Controls LP to support supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems for the Dallas Water Utilities Department. The contract, authorized during the council's May 13, 2026 meeting, encompasses hardware parts, repair services, software support, and server upgrades. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) agreement will serve the city's water, wastewater, and stormwater programs. Dallas Water Utilities Director Sarah Standifer told the council that the department operates eight distinct SCADA systems. These networks manage drinking water treatment, wastewater processing, and the city's drainage infrastructure, which includes pump stations and flooded roadway warning alerts. "Each one is operated independently under some DHS requirements," Standifer said. "This also provides some backstopping to staff that we have that program our system... and it keeps the system running around the clock." Councilmember William Roth, who requested a dedicated discussion on the item, emphasized the critical nature of IT and cybersecurity investments for municipal water quality and infrastructure security. Standifer noted that while the utility has averaged approximately $2.5 million annually across the eight systems in recent years, the new contract establishes a higher funding ceiling to cover hardware replacements, system configurations, and emergency third-party support as needed within the enterprise budget.