WDBC Welcomes Its Newest Full Member, O'Brien & Gere

Members of the Water Design-Build Council officially welcomed in 2016 its newest member firm, O'Brien & Gere. Representing OBG on the WDBC Board of Directors is Robert (Bob) Dudley, P.E., Senior Vice President in OBG’s Water Brand.

Based in Bowie, Maryland, Bob has more than 32 years of professional engineering experience in the water industry, including studies, planning, and design of potable water treatment, distribution, and storage facilities; residual handling and disposal; and wastewater collection and pumping facilities. He has led major, complex and diverse design-build projects for clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Bob holds PE licenses in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Maryland; and is an active member of the American Water Works Association.

Headquartered in Syracuse, New York, OBG is a 70-year old firm offering services that include advanced manufacturing, energy, environment, and water — with a specific mission to create comprehensive, integrated solutions for clients. OBG provides services to clients facing the challenges of securing ample water supplies, treating the water to stringent drinking water standards, and delivering that water through an aging distribution system. In addition, for over four decades, OBG has been at the forefront of wastewater treatment, helping clients meet increasingly stringent requirements for effluent quality and overflow abatement. This holistic approach is directed to recovering energy and nutrients from sewage, incorporating advanced and forward-thinking industrial treatment technologies and providing economical methods for biosolids disposal and reuse.

A Decade of Progress in Water Design-Build Delivery

As 2015 came to close, the city of Houston, Texas, awarded a $900 million progressive design-build project to a joint venture of Water Design-Build Council member firms CDMSmith and CH2M for the design and construction of a 320-mgd water purification project. The project would expand the northeast plant from 80-mgd capacity in order to meet the demands for water by residents and businesses. Immediately signing the contract, the project teams began work in early 2016.

Ten years ago, neither a project of this magnitude, nor the expediency with which the contract was signed, would have ever been within the realm of thought for municipal governments. A decade ago, the water design-build industry was fraught with impediments and challenges to using any of the various design-build delivery methods; progressive design-build was only just emerging; and fixed-price or CMAR were considered "alternatives" to the use of design-bid build.

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Member Companies

The Water Design-Build Council stands ready to contribute its expertise, resources, innovation and enthusiasm to the challenge of strengthening our water and wastewater infrastructure.