The Census Bureau now provides extensive monthly and annual detail on water and sewage construction at their website www.census.gov/const/C30/newtc.html.
With regard to water supply construction, state and local spending set a record in 2002 of $7.3 billion, 1.6% higher than in 2001. Of that total, spending on line construction dropped 4.8% to $3.2 billion, plant construction fell 4.6% to $2.4 billion, pump station spending rose 32% to $564 million, tank and tower construction jumped 36% to $494 million, well construction climbed 33% to $330 million, and reservoir construction rose 14% to $298 million.
The much smaller private water market slipped 27% to $393 million.
For the first quarter of 2003, all categories of state and local water supply construction are moving up sharply compared to last year’s first quarter: 10.5% for the total and 13% each for line, plant and pump station construction.
State and local sewage and waste construction did not set a record in 2002 but it did reverse a three-year slide, rising 6.7% to $9.3 billion. The sewage/dry waste component was up 9%, with the line/pump station subcomponent edged up 2.5%, split between a 10% jump in plant construction to $2.6 billion and a 19% plunge in line/drain construction to $654 million. The minor private market tumbled 33% to $255 million.
So far in 2003, state and local sewage and waste disposal is off by 5.4%.
Source: AGC
