Public procurement represents an essential tool for transparent, competitive, and efficient management of public funds. This paper places a particular emphasis on the water-utility sector, which includes the management of water resources, sewage systems, and wastewater. Due to its complexity and significance for everyday life, this sector requires careful implementation of public procurement procedures to ensure service quality and infrastructure sustainability. The paper analyzes the legislative framework that regulates procurement procedures, including national and European regulations. It then describes the stages of the public tender process, starting from market research, preparation of documentation, publication of the tender, evaluation of bids, and finally to contracting. In conclusion, a comparison is made between successfully and unsuccessfully conducted public procurements to identify key factors that influence the success of the process. The analysis covers aspects such as the quality of offers, transparency of the procedure, and the ability of the contracting authority to define needs and expectations. Through comparison, the paper aims to provide recommendations for improving the application of public procurement in the water utility sector, with the goal of achieving better results and greater efficiency in the use of public funds.