对许多市政公用事业来说，新建水处理设施是它们将进行的最昂贵、最明显的资本投资之一。因此，公用事业公司将面临比平常更大的压力，以最低的成本提供最高质量的产品。成本超支、索赔、认知，甚至个性，都可能把一个模范项目变成一场灾难。如何避免这些陷阱？在许多情况下，问题的根源可以追溯到所选择的施工承包方法的目标和实施。承包工厂建设的方法几乎和避免陷阱的方法一样多。德克萨斯州的两个公用事业公司，阿灵顿市和谢尔曼市，在过去几年中完成了新水处理设施的建设。 选择的合同安排非常不同，但这两个城市有一个共同点——都有需要解决的具体问题，并且他们以最适合自己需要的方式调整合同。本文描述了各种合同安排的目标和缺点，并提供了阿灵顿和谢尔曼项目的案例研究。

For many municipal utilities, the construction of new water treatment facilities is one of the most expensive and visible capital investments they will make. Consequently, the utility will be under even more pressure than usual to deliver a product of the highest quality at the lowest cost. Cost overruns, claims, perceptions, and even personalities can turn an exemplary project into a disaster. How can these pitfalls be avoided? In many instances, the root of the problems can be traced back to the goals and implementation of the chosen construction contracting method. There are nearly as many ways to contract plant construction as there are pitfalls to be avoided. Two utilities in Texas, the City of Arlington and the City of Sherman, have completed construction of new water treatment facilities in the past few years. The contracting arrangements selected were very different but the cities had one thing in common - both had specific issues which needed to be addressed and they tailored their contracts in a way which best suited their needs. This paper provides a description of the goals and drawbacks to various contractual arrangements and provides a case study of the Arlington and Sherman projects.