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Jacobs at the 2024 Florida League of Cities Annual Conference

Improving the quality of life for communities throughout Florida

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Join us at FLC Annual Conference Hollywood, Florida Aug. 15 to 18, 2024

Shrinking budgets, labor shortages, climate change, and everchanging state and federal regulations, among other things, are presenting new challenges for cities and counties. These concerns are threatening their ability to perform essential functions and deliver critical services to their residents.

As a contract operator, Jacobs brings over 40 years of experience to help cities and counties in the Sunshine State improve efficiency, streamline workflow and citizen response processes, improve responsiveness and citizen satisfaction, train staff for stronger skills and focus, and make the most of your investments. Whether you are seeking public works, code enforcement, water or wastewater operations, transportation planning, community development or administrative function support, we offer a full suite of custom-tailored services to create a more connected, sustainable community for your residents.

Stay focused on what you do best by letting Jacobs do what we do best. Join our experts at the Florida League of Cities Annual Conference in Hollywood to see how we can deliver the right solutions for your community.

Visit us at booth 42 to meet our experts!

Explore our solutions

Water and Wastewater O&M

Clients look to Jacobs for advanced O&M approaches and technologies, in part because of our position in the industry. As one of the largest water and wastewater O&M service providers in North America, we operate, maintain and manage water and wastewater facilities for cities, counties, service jurisdictions and industrial facilities.

Download the fact sheet
Municipal Public Works

We serve as the Public Works Department for numerous cities in the U.S. Staff help maintain key infrastructure for cities, including repairs and maintenance for roadways, engineering expertise and traffic management, among other services.

Download the fact sheet
Transportation O&M

Transportation agencies select Jacobs to provide outsourced O&M services, hiring us to be the Operations and Maintenance Department for an agency in a long-term partnership.

Download the fact sheet

New City Startup and Operations

New cities turn to Jacobs to make the most of their one-time opportunity to start in a way that provides better services in a fiscally responsible manner. We have started up more new cities in the U.S. than any other firm in the last 20 years, using the public-private partnership model for the outsourced operations of one or more departments.
Consulting and Engineering

With seasoned experts nationwide, we leverage regional and corporate resources to support onsite staff. Engineers, consultants and process experts provide input on projects — including regulatory compliance, technology selection and implementation, project management and asset management, among others — at no additional cost to our clients.

More than an operator

Effective emergency preparedness and response

The threat of hurricanes is very real for cities and counties throughout Florida. Staff at Jacobs-operated facilities complete extensive pre-storm preparations to prevent issues like facility overflows and speed the return of facilities to regular service soon after storms pass. Emergency preparation and response procedures help prevent undue damage and injury while protecting clients’ assets.

These facilities are supported by a deep bench of regional experts, and staff collaborate and share skills and resources state-wide to prepare and respond to hurricanes. Jacobs was previously recognized with the prestigious Water Environment Federation’s Water Heroes Award for its response and ongoing efforts during the most expensive and destructive U.S. hurricane season on record at the time. Learn about additional heroic efforts in nearby Puerto Rico.

A commitment to community

Jacobs is committed to becoming active in the communities where we operate — both as residents who live and work in the communities ourselves and as stewards of public health and safety. These efforts include hosting water and wastewater facility tours, developing curriculum to teach students about the role of science at water and wastewater utilities, involvement in Ambassador Programs to teach citizens about water and wastewater treatment, and more. Read how we helped a young innovator shine at regional and national science and engineering fairs.

This investment in our communities allows us to better inform our clients’ decisions, establish community awareness on critical issues, and create a safer, healthier future for Florida residents.

Educating the future water and wastewater workforce

A silver tsunami is wreaking havoc on the water and wastewater industry. The baby boomer generation makes up a large demographic of the water and wastewater industry, but with their impending retirement, utilities industry-wide are facing labor shortages and knowledge gaps.

As certified operators are critical to providing a safe water supply, Jacobs teams in Florida are working hard to build a pipeline of talent to run water and wastewater operations and other municipal services. In Live Oak, the team partnered with the Florida Rural Water Association to host a wastewater certification exam review for the Operator Certification Program’s Level B and C license exams. Further south, The Villages collaborated with Lake-Sumter State College to teach wastewater operations Level C coursework.

Implementing innovative approaches to improve utility resilience

With Florida being one of the most lightning-prone states in the U.S., it can be challenging to keep data systems that monitor and control water utilities running. The Jacobs ion© Solutions team utilizes fiber-optic transceivers at worksites that rely on data conducted by cable to prevent any failures.

Last year, lightning struck the City of DeFuniak Springs’ instrumentation and control systems, including electronic firewalls, telemetry and sensors placed on key equipment. Staff couldn’t monitor or adjust treatment processes for several days until key systems could be replaced. Each time lightning hit, it cost hundreds of dollars to replace damaged networks and equipment.

Technicians tried installing surge suppressors on power supplies and data lines, but that measure had little effect. ion techs assessed the network and identified a key point of failure at the site’s cable modem. Power surges from the lightning strikes had entered the system via the cable modem, damaging or destroying equipment throughout the network. To prevent more damage, ion techs installed fiber-optic transceivers between the cable modem and the rest of the network. The system now transmits data efficiently — it doesn’t matter if it’s conveyed in a pulse of electricity.

Jacobs and client partners have been recognized numerous times with the Utility of the Future Today ward for demonstrating innovation and forward thinking to advance operations and leadership of water and wastewater utilities.

Jacobs in Florida

We have a strong presence in the Southeast, serving O&M clients at more than 60 locations. Learn about what we’re doing for some communities in the Sunshine State.

The Villages

Comprehensive O&M services of public and private utility systems, as well as residential and commercial solid waste collection services for one of the fastest-growing metros in the U.S. Facilities include 16 water treatment systems, five wastewater treatment plants, wastewater collection, water distribution systems, water meter reading, irrigation systems and a large fleet of solid waste collection trucks.
City of Key West

Since 1998, Jacobs has operated the city’s 10-mgd extended aeration activated sludge wastewater treatment plant, serving a population of 28,000 and a tourist population of five million people per year. Awards include the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference Laboratory Certification and Key West City Manager’s Extra Mile Award for Dedication to the City.
City of Bonita Springs

Manage community development, engineering, Geographic Information System mapping, building inspections and permitting, planning and zoning for the city of over 56,000 residents. Responsive service has made life easier and more convenient for residents, and given the city an economic, administrative and environmental edge.
City of Live Oak

Operate and maintain the city’s 2.5-mgd water and 3-mgd wastewater treatment facilities as well as a client-contracted 1.8-mgd water treatment facility at the Suwanee Correctional Institution. The 28-year partnership has been recognized by the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships and Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
City of DeFuniak Springs

We perform O&M services for 5.45-mgd water treatment plant, five water wells, 43 lift stations and a 1.5-mgd activated sludge wastewater treatment plant. Since 2003, Jacobs has implemented numerous programs key to yielding a consistent and quality level of service for the city, including employing a preventive maintenance program for the entire water system, performing an annual regulatory compliance inspection, completing manhole repair, engineering and consulting services, and more.
Town of Fort Myers Beach

The Town of Fort Myers Beach was catastrophically hit by Hurricane Ian in 2022. The town hired Jacobs to provide building permitting and inspection services to help the town rebuild.
City of West Melbourne

Operate and maintain the city’s Ray Bullard Water Reclamation Facility, sewer collections system and the reuse distribution system. Jacobs assists with capital improvement projects, annual budgeting for the sewer department and additional projects as needed. Previously won Utility of the Future Today award for water reuse.
Florida Turnpike Enterprise, Florida Department of Transportation

Serve as the traffic operations and intelligent transportation systems engineering management general consultant for Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, a division of the Florida Department of Transportation. In this role we manage more than 500 miles of fiber optic network, CCTVs, Dynamic Message Signs, vehicle detection system, wrong way detection devices and other field devices to provide real-time data and visibility to the Turnpike Traffic Management Centers. Additionally, we are currently working to help develop and apply connected and autonomous vehicle systems in the transportation network through testing technology and applications on the system.
Florida Turnpike Enterprise, Florida Department of Transportation

We are also the roadway and facilities maintenance engineering management general consultant to Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise. Under this program we provide support to the structures inspection and maintenance program, contract development, administration and management, environmental program oversight, permitting, safety and emergency management for more than 500 miles of toll roads, bridges and infrastructure across the state for the agency.
City of Crestview

Jacobs provides O&M of the wastewater treatment plant, including spray field operations and the main lift station. We have been the contract operator since the plant was built in 1993, and the city recently renewed the contract for another five-year term given the success of the relationship.
City of Pembroke Pines

Jacobs provides O&M of the city’s 18-mgd lime softening water treatment plant and 9.5-mgd biological wastewater treatment plant, serving a population of 172,000.
City of Quincy

Jacobs operates and maintains the city’s 3.6-mgd water treatment plant, 1.5-mgd wastewater treatment plant and 10 lift stations. Celebrating 40 years of service in 2024 after signing a five-year renewal with the city.