Paul Kutzy, manager and CEO of WJWW, said the award of the general construction contract is expected in July and a Notice to Proceed anticipated to be granted by August. In an exclusive interview with CONSTRUCTION NEWS, Mr. Kutzy touted the benefits of the PLA in connection with the project. “The PLA will allow WJWW to complete construction of the plant more effectively and more efficiently, resulting in an estimated construction cost savings of at least $7 million, offsetting the estimated $175 million in total construction cost,” he said.

Construction of the Water Filtration Plant will reduce turbidity found in Rye Lake to aid in the water disinfection process, will remove waterborne pathogens, and will remove naturally occurring organic matter that contribute to the formation of disinfection byproducts, such as haloacetic acids (HAA5); and is necessary to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) safe drinking water regulations.

Mr. Kutzy, who has been with WJWW since October 2017, noted that the PLA with the building trades also provides project certainty. “Given the Consent Decree that WJWW is under with the United States Department of Justice, the PLA is even more important to ensure a timely completion of the plant (by 2029) in compliance with the Consent Decree,” he said, adding that negotiations on crafting a PLA came after the conclusion of a feasibility study. Mr. Kutzy noted that the PLA will also serve to streamline coordination between the four major contractors (general, plumbing, electrical and HVAC) because there will be just one prime contractor who will be bound by the terms of the PLA. The feasibility study was conducted by Hill International and was released in January 2025. The study recommended WJWW enter into a PLA on the filtration plant project.

The PLA will be signed by the winning GC bidder and then subsequently by WJWW. The building trades have already signed off on the PLA, Mr. Kutzy said.

The construction of a filtration plant project to address the issues has been delayed for a number of reasons, including litigation. WJWW sought a number of remedies when water quality concerns were raised in the 1990s. In 2004 when the goal could not be accomplished to the satisfaction of New York State, WJWW was ordered by the court to construct a plant. Following the issuance of the court’s order, WJWW eventually decided the construction of a water filtration plant was the best option and purchased approximately 13.5 acres of land in the Town of Harrison adjacent to Westchester County Airport on which to build. WJWW completed the water filtration project design and received approvals from the New York State Department of Health. Shovels hit the ground in 2006, but litigation and permitting issues blocked the project, for which the Town/Village of Harrison Planning Board was the Lead Agency.

Later WJWW switched gears and moved forward with a plan to engage in a land swap with Westchester County and was named Lead Agency under SEQR in January 2020. Last June, Westchester Joint Water Works entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Department of Health that allows it to proceed with the construction of Rye Lake water filtration plant on the new site in Harrison. The Westchester County Board of Legislators approved the land swap deal in April of last year and WJWW took title of the property in January 2025.

Mr. Kutzy told CONSTRUCTION NEWS that all litigation seeking to stop the project has ended and that WJWW is in compliance with the Consent Decree. Mr. Kutzy credited the administration of former Westchester County Executive George Latimer and current CE Ken Jenkins with facilitating the land swap that was key to the filtration plant’s approval and development.

Westchester County Executive Jenkins said, “Access to safe, clean drinking water is a fundamental right and today, Westchester County proudly stands with the WJWW as they just entered a Project Labor Agreement with the Building and Construction Trades Council of Westchester and Putnam Counties, ahead of construction of the water filtration plant at Rye Lake expected to begin this summer.”

He added, “This project is critical to protecting the health of up to 100,000 residents and ensuring compliance with vital state and federal water quality standards. The PLA will allow WJWW to complete construction of the plant more effectively and efficiently. This investment will ensure that our residents continue to have access to safe, clean drinking water for generations to come. Protecting our water supply is essential to protecting public health, and this agreement represents a major step forward in our commitment to safeguarding this vital resource.”

Jeff Loughlin, president of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Westchester & Putnam Counties, said, “This project is about more than construction—it’s about protecting public health and ensuring clean, safe water for generations to come. Our skilled union workforce is proud to be part of this vital effort, bringing the expertise and commitment needed to get the job done right. The Project Labor Agreement not only guarantees high-quality work, it also creates well-paying, life-sustaining jobs for the men and women who will build this plant from the ground up.”

Edward Cooke, vice president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Westchester & Putnam Counties, added that the Rye Lake Water Filtration Plant project will employ approximately 150 members of the building trades during construction. He added, “We are going to honor Westchester Joint Water Works’ request for training. We are going to work with WJWW to get apprentices from the community and the schools and try to bring them in to careers in the crafts.”

According to the bid documents, the plant will be a 30-million-gallons-per-day, dissolved air flotation/filtration (DAFF) plant. The new water treatment facilities will consist of a main process building, a sanitary pump station, an electrical substation and generators.

A mandatory pre-bid conference was held on Monday, May 5 at the headquarters of Westchester Joint Water Works in Mamaroneck.

Established in 1927, WJWW supplies drinking water to some 60,000 water customers in Harrison, Mamaroneck and portions of Rye and New Rochelle. It also indirectly supplies drinking water to another 60,000 residents in the Village of Larchmont, the City of Rye, the Village of Rye Brook and the Village of Port Chester.