Jacobs Secures Five-Year Water and Wastewater Operations Contract in Goderich, Ontario

Jacobs was selected by the Town of Goderich, Ontario, to operate and maintain its 3.17 million-gallon-per-day (12,000-cubic meter) water and 2.17 million-gallon-per-day (9,050-cubic meter) wastewater systems under a new five-year contract. Nestled along the shores of Lake Huron — and often celebrated as “the prettiest town in Canada,” a description some attribute to Queen Elizabeth II — Goderich is the latest municipality to entrust Jacobs with the stewardship of its critical infrastructure. 

“At Jacobs, we’re committed to investing in and maintaining critical infrastructure to be sure our clients and communities have a healthy environment to call home,” says Vice President of Operations Kevin Dahl. “Our integrated services, digital solutions and dedicated teams will deliver a seamless transition and fresh ideas while meeting provincial regulations.”

Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet comments, “The Town of Goderich is excited to welcome Jacobs as the Town’s new water and wastewater operating authority. Jacobs brings deep experience operating and advising hundreds of facilities worldwide, backed by proven digital capabilities such as its Digital OneWater approach and Intelligent O&M tools that help optimize performance, reduce energy and chemical use, and support frontline operators. This operating partnership aligns with Goderich Town Council and staff’s commitment to resilient, compliant and sustainable services for residents and businesses, and we look forward to working with Jacobs to continually improve safety, reliability and value for our community.”  

Innovation-driven continuous improvement

Under the new contract, Jacobs will conduct an annual innovation workshop to encourage continuous improvement and prevent complacency. Each year, a team of operations and maintenance subject matter experts, utility personnel and operations staff will review achievements and brainstorm new ideas and best practices to enhance quality, efficiency, value and infrastructure resilience. 

Jacobs has already identified opportunities that can potentially provide value to the town, including deploying Dragonfly, one of the company’s cutting-edge digital tools that will assess the condition of the town’s collection system, as well as optimization opportunities for both power usage and biosolids management. 

Jacobs is also aligned with Goderich’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% over the next decade. Kevin adds, “We plan to explore opportunities for sustainability improvements in our innovation workshop, such as a comprehensive GHG reduction study at the facilities and the potential for solar power generation.”

Local leadership, regional strength

The project will be led by Cory Dulong, a Goderich resident with over 20 years of experience in water and wastewater operations. Cory will be supported by a robust team of local and regional experts to provide responsive, high-quality service. 

Goderich joins Jacobs’ growing network of operated facilities across Canada, which includes Lucan-Biddulph, Petrolia, Plympton-Wyoming, Huron East, Lambton Shores and the Village of Oil Springs. This regional portfolio provides access to a wide range of skilled trades, mechanics and engineers to meet the town’s evolving service needs. 

“With an average contract relationship length of over 20 years in Ontario, Jacobs continues to deliver expert-driven solutions that enhance public safety, protect the environment and foster innovation. We’re maintaining infrastructure, but we’re also bringing new ideas and resources to Goderich and the nearby communities where we live and work,” says Kevin.