The New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board will rebid its lead pipe replacement project after complications in its contractor selection process took up most of the last year.

S&WB Executive Director Randy Hayman’s decision to rebid the contract overrules an arbitrator’s recommendation for the water board to stick with its selection of CDM Smith to replace as many as 85,000 lead water pipes around the city, with an estimated cost of around $1 billion.

A competing firm, Community Infrastructure Partners, argued in a May bid protest that it proposed a faster installation schedule at less cost. It also said the composition of the committee scoring the proposals violated the S&WB bid solicitation because it lacked a public health expert.

The city’s health director, Dr. Jennifer Avegno, was

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