The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority board of directors on Friday approved a cooperation agreement with the City of Pittsburgh to enter into a contract for consulting on the potential restructuring of the authority.
Maryland-based Infrastructure Management Group Inc., or IMG, is tasked with evaluating PWSA operations and creating a plan for restructuring.
IMG was chosen by a panel selected by Mayor Bill Peduto last week.
Board member and City of Pittsburgh Finance Director Paul Leger said this is the first of a two-phase process.
“This manager will put out a document that gives direction on what the restructuring will look like, and then somebody else will come in and actually do the work of restructuring,” he said.
The city and PWSA will each pay half of the total cost of this initial contract, which is anticipated to be $550,000.
City Councilwoman and PWSA board member Deb Gross said she looks forward to learning more about best practices from other water systems across the county.
“I hope … that we really look at not just repairing the water system that was built 100 years ago, but really thinking about 100 years from now," she said. "What is the water system that’s going to take us from here to there? And I really mean the infrastructure, as well as the governance."
The contract will go to City Council next week for its consideration.
