Massachusetts Water Resources Authority: Utility Account Brief

Executive overview

Key findings

US$322.1 million: FY2027 Final Capital Improvement Program, including US$65.2 million of community loans (approved)

60 awards, US$508.7 million: contract awards planned in FY2027; the largest is the US$70 million Deer Island Eastern Seawall

US$226.8 million: FY2026 capital spending, about 40% below the US$380.3 million budget (actual)

About US$2.1 billion: Metropolitan Water Tunnel Program estimate; South Tunnel bidding late 2027 (planned)

Buyer relevance

Who the report is for

Heavy civil and tunneling contractors

Plan teaming for South Tunnel bidding in late 2027 around the Hatch construction manager and WSP designer already in place.

Treatment equipment and mechanical subcontractors

Target Deer Island work through Walsh, whose clarifier contract of US$298,197,238.72 runs to June 10, 2028.

Pipe, valve and lining suppliers

Follow the interim redundancy pipelines and interceptor renewals, such as the US$12,545,692.91 Malden-Melrose award.

Firms selling to member towns

Reach lead and inflow work funded by MWRA, including US$32.2 million of inflow grants in FY2026, through the communities.

Decision scope

Questions answered

How much does MWRA plan to award in FY2027?

60 contract awards worth US$508.7 million, the largest being the US$70 million Deer Island Eastern Seawall.

Is MWRA spending its capital budget?

Not fully: it spent US$226.8 million in FY2026 against a US$380.3 million budget, about 40% below plan.

Who holds the tunnel program contracts?

Hatch has the US$153.8 million construction management contract and WSP the US$93.6 million final design contract; Arup is owner's representative.

How does a supplier bid?

MWRA posts all new bids for goods, services and Chapter 149 and Chapter 30 construction on its Supplier Portal, where bidders must register.

Inside the report

Inside the complete report

1. The Account at a Glance

2. Organisation and Decision-Making

3. Financial Position

4. Priorities and Pressures

5. How Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Buys

6. Opportunity Register

7. Commercial Priorities: Where to Focus First

8. Watch List: What to Monitor and What to Do

Source Register

Public preview

What to watch next

FY2027 capital delivery

US$226.8m spent in FY2026 against US$380.3m budgeted; FY2027 plan is US$322.1m.

FY2028 budget and FY2028–FY2033 prioritization

Sets which projects move forward under a new Executive Director.

South Tunnel procurement (late 2027)

The largest single construction opportunity.

Deer Island Eastern Seawall award

Largest FY2027 award, US$70m, target notice to proceed May 2027.

Landscape report page with a table of MWRA projects, their procurement status, stage at November 2026, existing contractors, supplier categories, next milestone and how to access. — Sample page · page 7 of 11
The Opportunity Register: MWRA projects by status, stage, incumbent contractors, supplier categories and route to access.

Included

What you receive

The complete PDF report: 11 pages, 9 sections, 7 tables and a register of 17 sources.

This edition

November 2026, First edition.

Evidence & method

Evidence and method

The brief draws on MWRA's FY2026 year-end capital spending report and FY2027 outlook, Board vote extracts from June to October 2026, budgets and capital programs, the 2026 bond Official Statement and rating reports, and MWRA's published bidding guidance.

Sources

17 sources, listed in the report's source register. Evidence current to 9 November 2026. Principal data periods: FY2025 audited results (fiscal years end June 30); FY2026 capital outturn; FY2027 adopted budget, capital program and planned awards; board votes to October 21, 2026. Project and procurement status checked on November 9, 2026. All currency is US dollars (US$)..

Lead analyst

Robert C. Brears

Founder, Our Future Water Intelligence

Robert C. Brears is a water-security specialist and author whose work examines utility governance, infrastructure investment, climate resilience and long-term water-system change for executive and policy audiences.

Decision-focused utility intelligence
Published water-policy author
Evidence-grounded system analysis

Buyer FAQs

Before you purchase

Who can use the report?

Licensed for internal use within one purchasing organization. The PDF and its contents may be shared with colleagues within that organization. External redistribution, resale and public publication are prohibited without permission.

How is the report delivered?

The PDF is available to download immediately after confirmed payment, through our secure delivery system.

Can my organization buy wider access?

Institutional purchasing: For invoice enquiries, multi-organization licensing or broader access requirements, contact Our Future Water Intelligence.