• INDUSTRY OUTLOOK •
How Collaborative Delivery Redefines Valve and
In a sector where timing, precision, and resilience are paramount, the water and wastewater industry is undergoing a quiet transformation. At the heart of this shift lies a reimagined project model— collaborative delivery— that is driving efficiency, procurement, and innovation in the integration of valves and automation systems.
• By Eli Boone, Senior National Account Manager, and Sanford Pauly, Senior Manager of Business Development, Core & Main / WCDA
Collaborative delivery in the water and wastewater sector, especially for valves and automation, involves all stakeholders working together to achieve project goals. This approach can lead to faster timelines, reduced costs, and more innovative solutions.
Selecting the appropriate valves and automation is, debatably, just as important as setting the overall budget, paving the way for avoiding costly mishaps throughout the job process such as schedule interruptions, process interference, liquidated damages, and many other criteria that can affect the overall design.
The purpose of this article is to explain the various critical roles that valves play in the operation of typical plant and pipeline processes. Pumps, associated valves, and automation need to have all the characteristics associated with each specific application.
The Case for Change: Why Traditional Models Fall Short
The right valves and automation prevent potential failures while enhancing overall efficiency, safety, and sustainability of distribution networks.
In traditional design-bid-build models, valve specification, procurement, and automation integration are often treated as isolated events. This separation frequently leads to mismatches in control logic, installation inefficiencies, and costly rework, particularly when dealing with complex assets like pressure-reducing valves, motor-operated actuators, or critical process control valves.
In too many cases, you see controls contractors brought in after the valves have already been specified and ordered. By then, the chance to optimize integration or select smarter valve technologies has passed.
Valve-Automation Synergy At the heart of many water infrastructure projects lies a core challenge: how to balance mechanical reliability with digital intelligence.
Valves and automation are fundamental to regulating process conditions in any plant. Inefficiencies often arise when there is a lag between operator actions and the process equipment response, leading to systemic issues that propagate throughout the entire system.
From plant startup to the optimization of flow efficiency, valves and automation control the critical elements that both safeguard operations and ensure the design functions as intended, which highlights the importance of selecting the right products early in the design process. The right valves and automation not only prevent potential failures but also enhance the overall efficiency, safety, and sustainability of distribution networks.
Modern valve systems have evolved beyond passive flow control, with smart actuators, SCADA-compatible interfaces, and centralized network integration rapidly becoming the industry standard. This means the choice of valve is intimately tied to the automation design, an insight often lost in traditional workflows.
Matching control philosophies with the right mechanical components is where the magic happens. With collaborative delivery, the project will align from day one rather than trying to retrofit it later.
Value Engineering Early collaboration during the design phase is a cornerstone of effective value engineering. It encourages innovation, strengthens decision-making, and ensures that critical components
36 Valve World Americas | May 2026 | www. valve-world-americas. com