What does the term “Public Works” mean? It’s one of those terms that are so broad that it almost defies definition.

The American Public Works Association (APWA) says “Because of the multi-faceted, ever-evolving nature of public works, we may never arrive at a final definition but, for now, the following definition seems appropriate: Public works is the combination of physical assets, management practices, policies, and personnel necessary for government to provide and sustain structures and services essential to the welfare and acceptable quality of life for its citizens.”

*Haghe, L. & Roberts, D. (1849)* Excavated mansions of Petra, Petra, March 7. Extinct City Petra, 1849. [Published] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress.

A Long History

Public works have been around ever since people found ways to ensure a reliable source of water for their crops. In 4000 BC, the ancient Sumerians created a successful irrigation system that watered fields between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. In Mohenjo‐Daro, a major urban center of the Indus Civilization (India), a sophisticated system for supplying water and expelling sewage dates back to the mid-third millennium BC. Water came from more than 700 wells and supplied not only domestic demands but also a system of private baths and a Great Bath for public use. Drains and sewers were carefully constructed to facilitate the removal of waste.[1]

By Saqib Qayyum - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
A 2.4m deep, 12m long, and 7m wide pool known as "The Great Bath" is located at the centre of the Citadel, is made of fine baked waterproof mud bricks and a thick layer of bitumen. It is the earliest public water tank of the ancient world. Adjacent to it are a well that was used to supply water to the bath.

Beginning in 586 BC, the Nabataeans, who lived in northern Arabia and the southern Levant, created a sophisticated water collection system which allowed them to build an impressive trade empire in the heart of arid Arabia.[2]

Of course, everyone knows about the Romans, who constructed roads, harbor works, aqueducts, temples, forums, town halls, arenas, baths, and sewers – many of which are still seen today, more than 2,000 years later. These public works were designed to stabilize and strengthen the empire and make the lives of Roman citizens better.

Recent history

Segovia--El Puente. Segovia Spain, None. [Between 1900 and 1910] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress.

Fast forward a couple thousand years, and public works became key to stabilizing the American economy during a time of crisis. Back in 1933, the federal government undertook a massive public works effort to counteract the devastating effects of the Great Depression. For a decade, the federal government poured $3.8 billion through the Public Works Administration (PWA) into projects that radically transformed the country’s infrastructure. Prominent projects included New York’s Triborough Bridge, Grand Coulee Dam, the San Francisco Mint, Reagan National Airport and Key West’s Overseas Highway.[3]

Later, in 1935, President Roosevelt used an executive order to create the Works Progress Administration (WPA). At the time, unemployment was holding steady at 20 percent, and the economy needed a serious boost. The WPA employed mostly unskilled men to carry out public works infrastructure projects. They built more than 4,000 new school buildings, erected 130 new hospitals, laid roughly 9,000 miles of storm drains and sewer lines, built 29,000 new bridges, constructed 150 new airfields, paved or repaired 280,000 miles of roads and planted 24 million trees to alleviate loss of topsoil during the Dust Bowl. Over the course of 10 years, the WPA put 8.5 million people to work, strengthening communities and laying the groundwork for the largest industrial expansion in history -- the wartime economy of 1945.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

Grand Coulee dam construction. , None. [Between 1936 and 1946] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress.

Today, the country is in the midst of another massive public works investment. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into law on November 15, 2021. The IIJA is an historic investment in our nation’s infrastructure: $1.2 trillion over five years, including $550 billion in new federal spending, including --

passenger and freight rail;
highway and pedestrian safety;
public transit;
broadband;
ports and waterways;
airports;
water infrastructure;
power and grid reliability and resiliency;
resiliency, including funding for coastal resiliency, ecosystem restoration, and weatherization;
clean school buses and ferries;
electric vehicle charging;
addressing legacy pollution by cleaning up Brownfield and Superfund sites and reclaiming abandoned mines; and
Western Water Infrastructure[4]

The American Public Works Association (APWA)

The APWA is an organization that was founded to help public works professionals improve their skills, share information and work together to find the best ways to help their communities. Along with comprehensive training programs and other resources, the APWA helps its members learn about and apply for funds provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Each year, the APWA organizes a conference and exposition to help keep its members informed. This year’s conference, held in San Diego, includes 125 technical and professional development sessions using the latest learning models: classroom, interactive, and "live" learning labs. Additionally, more than 400 companies will be exhibiting the latest technology – including Berntsen International’s InfraMarker Connected RFID in booth 1939.

InfraMarker is key to smooth operations

Today, public works is more complex than ever. Even in small cities, more and more organizations are relying on the power of GIS to help manage their assets and streamline operations. InfraMarker RFID is designed to leverage the power of GIS to accurately mark and manage any type of asset - directly from the asset point itself. Each passive RFID marker identifies the asset, connecting to GIS with a simple scan, providing verified asset identity and launching the the associated workflow. This instant asset confirmation of ]identity removes guess-work from field maintenance and speeds routine inspection and maintenance with accurate documentation.

We invite all public works professionals who manage infrastructure assets to see how InfraMarker RFID can improve asset management by providing verified field asset information that links to any GIS system. Sign up here to chat with Brent Sherman, our Sales Manager for a live demo of how InfraMarker can work for you at the APWA Conference, booth 1939, August 27-29.