Moving Water Industries builds pumps to move lots of water. They have competition but no one else had Jeb Bush marketing their products in the 1980's. MWI provided many of the temporary rental pumps used "dewater" New Orleans after Katrina.

When the Corps needed temporary pumps for the mouth of the 17th Street Canal  in New Orleans where did they turn? The MWI catalog of course. The problem is that they then copied the words from the catalog right into their bid specification. MWI got the contract. (Amazingly the Corps defends this practice)

The contract offered a bonus if the pumps were operational by June, 2006. Check the FixthePumps blog for their latest status. (As of May, 2007 they are 11 months past due on this six month contract and the pumps are still leaking and not operational.)

Now that the pumps are plagued with problems are you surprised? Not to worry, since the pumps are now ours lock stock and barrel, it is fair to say that New Orleans got the once again got the shaft (pump shaft that is).