September 2026
Tampa Bay Water Desalination Intake Pump Station Wins DBIA National Design-Build Project/Team Merit Award
Tampa, Florida - The Archer Western-led design-build team has earned a 2026 Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) Merit Award in the Water/Wastewater category for the Tampa Bay Water Desalination Intake Pump Station – Phase II
This award recognizes the early collaborative framework, innovation and commitment that defines the project’s success, as it allowed Archer Western and Wade Trim to deliver critical infrastructure for Tampa Bay Water, upgraded systems to protect against sea level rise and extreme weather, and cleaner drinking water to serve communities and future growth.
Guided by a progressive design-build delivery, the new intake pump station increases treatment capacity by 50 MGD to the regional desalination plant, helping ensure a reliable, sustainable source of drinking water for area residents. The result is a fully integrated, resilient intake system that reduces operational risk, strengthens long-term reliability, and aligns seamlessly with prior improvements, demonstrating the effectiveness of Design-Build delivery in executing complex, mission-critical infrastructure.
Key features of the project include:
- Design and construction of a new intake pump station
- An elevated electrical building to protect against coastal flooding and extreme weather
- Reconfigured electrical infrastructure to support the new pump station and right-size power capacity at the existing facility
- Approximately 600 linear feet of 54-inch diameter fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) piping to connect seamlessly with the existing intake system
The design-build delivery fostered innovative team collaboration between Archer Western, Wade Trim, Tampa Bay Water and Tampa Electric Company (TECO) as a defining aspect of this project’s success. With a shared commitment to safety and quality, the team delivered complex infrastructure with an active industrial environment while maintaining schedule and operational continuity.
The DBIA Merit Awards honor design-build teams operating at the highest level of the profession, recognizing exceptional collaboration, disciplined leadership and delivery practices that reflet Design-Build Done Right ®.