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Addressing challenges like climate change, water scarcity, aging infrastructure and emerging contaminants, managing this essential resource has never been more complex.
Our expertise across the water cycle provides our clients with comprehensive water solutions – from water supplies and treatment, to flood resilience, water resource recovery, reuse and conveyance – we protect communities, industries and the environment, giving them sustainable water resources to thrive.
At Jacobs, our planners, engineers and scientists work with our clients every day to solve their water challenges with customized, innovative solutions and new ways of thinking. We recognize that water challenges are complex and interconnected, and that the old ways of managing the water cycle in silos cannot keep pace with the issues we all face. Our approach is through a OneWater lens – viewing all water as resource and developing integrated, holistic solutions that provide comprehensive benefits.
Our OneWater approach is supported by our industry-leading capabilities across the entire water cycle and project lifecycle – from planning and consulting to design-build and operations. Our complete technical expertise includes drinking water & reuse, wastewater, water conveyance & storage, water resources and digital solutions.
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# 1
in Sewer & Waste, Sanitary & Storm Systems, Wastewater Treatment Plants, Water Transmission Lines (Engineering News-Record)
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9 K+
visionary water teammates globally
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2015
awarded Stockholm Industry Award for potable reuse and public acceptance
What we do
Our OneWater approach is supported by our industry-leading capabilities across the entire water cycle and project lifecycle – from planning and consulting to design-build and operations across the following solution areas:
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Drinking Water & Reuse
Whether it’s designing an advanced water treatment facility or implementing an innovative potable water reuse program or a brackish or seawater desalination plant, we’re not just treating water, we’re giving communities, industries and regions the resource they need to flourish and expand.
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Water Conveyance & Storage
From the conveyance and storage of treated and raw water to the collection of wastewater, reclaimed water and stormwater, Jacobs provides a variety of urban conveyance and storage solutions for projects of all sizes, incorporating sustainability and adapting to changing environmental conditions in every project.
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Water Resource Recovery
While we didn’t invent today’s modern sewerage systems, we understand that all water – even wastewater – is a precious resource and not something we should simply dispose of; and therefore, we take the total water cycle into consideration when engineering solutions and developing cutting-edge technologies to collect, reclaim and reuse wastewater.
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Water Resources
As our world struggles with balancing water availability and demands, water pollution, competition for limited water resources and vulnerability to natural hazards, Jacobs works with clients around the globe to better manage our world’s water resources and make our water systems more resilient to climate change – because we believe it’s important that communities have safe, reliable water infrastructure now and in the future.
OneWater
OneWater is an integrated and collaborative approach to understanding and solving complex water challenges — not only those that we face today, but also those we will face tomorrow. We look beyond traditional labels – drinking water, seawater, wastewater, stormwater – to view all water as a valuable and interconnected resource. We take a holistic view of the water cycle to break down water management silos and facilitate collaboration between different stakeholders, enabling complex regional and watershed solutions like water reuse and integrated catchment management.
Our OneWater approach is guided by three principles:
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All water has value
We look at the water cycle holistically to discover what makes each watershed, each community and each water-related challenge unique.
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Water challenges are interconnected
We recognize water’s connections to land, food and energy to solve complex water management and community challenges, not only those we face today, but also those we will face tomorrow.
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Water solutions must be sustainable, inclusive and equitable
We focus on inclusive planning, considering the needs of all those who influence or are influenced by water, and prioritizing solutions that benefit people, the environment and the economy.
How do OneWater approaches benefit your community?
- Maximizing investments by implementing solutions that address multiple interconnected challenges and provide meaningful co-benefits.
- Engaging the full range of community stakeholders, including customers, businesses and public officials, to find opportunities for successful partnerships and promote local workforce development and social equity.
- Identifying future actions and investments focused on climate adaptation and resilience, including tackling water scarcity and urban flooding with integrated water management practices.
- Incorporating Jacobs’ domain-driven innovation and technology, including Digital OneWater — our ecosystem of integrated data-enabled solutions.
- Recognizing the circularity of local economies and repurposing traditional waste as a valued resource (such as using biosolids to produce energy, using reclaimed water to augment potable water supplies, or integrating stormwater in functional landscapes.)
- Consolidating plans, policies and ordinances that benefit multiple utility services while supporting economic growth and redevelopment.
Explore our projects
Jacobs delivers tailored solutions worldwide. Our global portfolio of projects has supported clients with addressing dynamic issues like aging infrastructure, impacts from climate change, water scarcity, flooding and affordability. The solutions we develop in collaboration with our clients provide communities with the foundations they need to flourish and grow.
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Donald C. Tillman Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF)
Jacobs has been selected by LA Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) as the progressive design-build contractor for the Donald C. Tillman Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF). The project is a key part of the City of Los Angeles' long-term water management objective to fully reuse its water supplies and is one of the largest potable reuse projects in the country.
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Reimagining Rikers Island Infrastructure and Landscape
Jacobs is working with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to study the feasibility of consolidating four aging wastewater resource recovery facilities into a new state-of-the-art one billion+ gallon-per-day facility on New York's Rikers Island.
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St. Petersburg, Florida
Jacobs worked with the City to develop a capital program that addresses St. Petersburg’s challenges today and into the future – including utilizing stormwater as a resource. A OneWater, consolidated and integrated approach will result in cost savings from economies of scale as well as regional collaboration opportunities. OneWater is a sustainable approach to long-term utility planning that considers the potential impacts resulting from climate change; salt water intrusion; infiltration and inflow; clean energy usage; greenhouse gas reduction; regional construction coordination; and mitigation of surface water impacts. It requires the City to rethink how capital priorities are set. Utility systems cannot be considered in silos any longer.
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One Calgary, OneWater
Working with the City of Calgary’s water utility, Jacobs is evaluating potential impacts of drought on various systems as part of the “One Calgary, OneWater” framework. In addition to assessing infrastructure systems for Canada’s third largest city – water supply and distribution; wastewater collection and treatment; stormwater and green infrastructure – the team assessed the vulnerability of meeting municipal agricultural and environmental demands; utility financial and governance systems, customer and community systems; and the broader regional community. Strategies to mitigate critical risks are being developed and prioritized for near-, mid- and long-term actions.
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Thames Tideway Tunnel
The Thames Tideway Tunnel will clean up one of London’s greatest natural assets, the iconic River Thames, protect it for generations to come and improve the quality of life for all Londoners.
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Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT)
Dramatically reducing sea level rise and 90% elimination of wastewater treatment plant discharge are just some of the positive outcomes of this bold, swift response to the water scarcity challenge.
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Singapore's NEWater Model
Water scarcity isn't a new phenomenon; historical records note water shortages dating as far back as the 1800s. And, since there’s no new water on Earth, we’re drinking the same water dinosaurs did. What if we showed you how Jacobs and Singapore’s PUB turned water scarcity into international successes with an innovative water reuse strategy?
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Ocean Outfall Legislation Program
As the largest water and sewer utility in the southeastern United States, The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) serves nearly 2.3 million residents and thousands of visitors. The Ocean Outfall Legislation (OOL) Program was created from a state-wide directive to reduce the practice of discharging wastewater into the ocean using existing ocean outfalls and consists of 24 major construction projects totaling over $2 billion.
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Central Interceptor Wastewater Project
Central Interceptor, the supersized wastewater tunnel, will play a crucial role in ensuring cleaner waterways for central Auckland, New Zealand.
Explore our digital products
Tools that transform big data into actionable information.
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Aqua DNA
Aqua DNA, an intelligent digital solution that collects live data and improves wastewater network performance using smart sensors and AI-powered predictive analytics to reduce risk and make a positive societal and environmental impact.
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Replica
Replica is Jacobs' digital twin solution software platform, delivering intelligent solutions for our customers around the world for more than 20 years.
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Dragonfly
Dragonfly efficiently provides the accurate data and AI-driven recommendations your team needs to optimize decision-making and refine your system management and intervention strategies.
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Flood Modeller
Flood Modeller is an industry-leading flood modeling software which enables engineers and scientists to deliver faster and more accurate results by simplifying the modelling of river, surface water, and urban drainage systems, and removes the need to use other software.
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Intelligent O&M
Intelligent O&M is a powerful blending of Jacobs’ water subject matter expertise in operations, design and data science, with Palantir’s Foundry platform and user interface, to provide direct and predictive guidance to frontline operation and management (O&M) staff.
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Argon
Argon is an asset management tool for linear sewer and storm water assets that helps utilities manage field data and determine next steps. Argon has been refined with engineering logic and AI to provide accurate condition scores, risk scores, recommended next steps and costs.
Meet some of our team
Read more about the talent who make it happen every day.
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Susan Moisio
Vice President, Global Water Market Director
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Joseph Danyluk
Global OneWater Director
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Adel AbouJaoude
Global Director, Conveyance & Storage
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Tim Constantine
Global Director, Water Resource Recovery Solutions
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Russell Ford
Global Director, Drinking Water & Reuse Solutions
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Adam Hosking
Global Solutions Director, Resilience and Climate Response
Read our latest news
From new project wins and milestones to reports, podcasts and industry insights, discover what we’re up to.
OneWater Reflections thought leadership series
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NewsReflecting on the Water Environment Federation’s Water Leadership Institute
Water resources engineer Alyssa Ramsey discusses the Water Environment Federation’s Water Leadership Institute and lessons learned as an emerging water leader.
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NewsExploring Hydrogen Production at Water Resource Recovery Facilities
Ted Couch outlines the synergies, pitfalls and opportunities for hydrogen production at water resource recovery facilities. He’ll be discussing the topic in more detail at WEFTEC 2024 in New Orleans, October 5 – 9.
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NewsThe Potential for Hybrid Digital Twins
Ahead of WEFTEC24, Bruce Johnson discusses the results of a recent Water Research Foundation project on hybrid digital twins and how Jacobs is building on that learning with our Hybrid Optimizer tool.
In the kNOW webinars
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WebinarsJacobs and Palantir: Digital OneWater Powered by AI
Join our global water experts in a special “In the kNOW” webinar series in partnership with Palantir as we discuss challenges and practical tips to making AI work in the field. Learn how we’ve translated our deep domain expertise of how to plan, design, build, maintain and operate water and wastewater infrastructure into digital solutions. We recognize digital transformation is a journey, so we’ll share our best practices in where to get started through how to leverage AI safely and securely.
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Webinars
Closing the Loop: Biosolids Treatment for Maximum Resource Recovery and Carbon Neutrality
In this “In the kNOW” webinar, we will discuss about market-driven biosolids management, technology trends and the role of biosolids treatment in the net zero water future. In this session, we will also explore the carbon footprint of biosolids management and strategies for reducing emissions, discuss the opportunity for biosolids to be a valuable source of nutrients and energy, and how these resources can be recovered and utilized sustainably.
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Webinars
MABR Technology: The New Triple Threat for Energy, Capacity and N20 Emission Benefits
In this “In the kNOW” webinar, we will discuss the applicability of MABR, benefits and lessons from Ejby Mølle Water Resource Recovery Facility, Denmark, and Elmira Wastewater Treatment Plant in Canada, as well as key considerations when incorporating MABR as part of upgrading and expansion plans.
From our newsroom
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NewsJacobs-Designed River Restoration in Colorado Revitalizes South Platte River
Jacobs led all aspects of design for the Lake George Diversion Dam Removal and Upper South Platte River Restoration Project. Named the U.S. Forest Service’s 2024 National Collaborative/Integrated Aquatic Stewardship Award winner, this project restored natural habitats, improved water quality, enhanced biodiversity and provided more enjoyable recreation. Read about the award-winning effort, and our involvement, in this article.
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NewsJacobs Modernizing Combined Sewer Overflow Infrastructure to Improve Water Quality and Benefit Local Virginia Communities
Jacobs is providing innovative design to modernize infrastructure and improve water quality in one of America’s oldest cities. Read about our work on the RiverRenew project, a state-of-the-art combined sewer system designed to prevent millions of gallons of sewage from entering local waterways in Alexandria, Virginia.
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NewsJacobs to Advance Nitrous Oxide Emissions Research in the Water Sector
Jacobs is leading a research project for The Water Research Foundation (WRF) that will advance global understanding and mitigation of N₂O emissions from water resource recovery facilities. Learn how this project will support net-zero targets in the water sector.
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NewsJacobs Awarded Contract for Metro Vancouver Critical Water Program
Jacobs was selected by Metro Vancouver, a regional district in British Columbia, Canada to provide program management services for the Coquitlam Lake Water Supply Project. The project will expand capacity for accessing, treating and distributing water from Coquitlam Lake, the region’s largest drinking water source, while increasing the system’s resilience to climate change.
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NewsJacobs Appointed to UK’s United Utilities Specialist Network Modeling Framework
Jacobs has been appointed by United Utilities, one of the U.K.’s largest listed water companies, to deliver modeling support for water infrastructure through the asset management period (AMP8), which runs from 2025 to 2030.
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NewsFrom Smart Sewers to First of Its Kind Infrastructure: How KC Water and Jacobs are Shaping Kansas City’s Future
As our Kansas City office celebrates an important award earned with one of our key clients, we look back at 20 years of service to our clients in the Kansas City area. The metropolitan area provides unique challenges and opportunities, allowing our partnerships with clients to deliver several innovative solutions. Read more in this article.
Our insights
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Water for Life: Why Valuing Water in All its Forms is Key to Thriving and Resilient Communities
Water for Life: Why valuing water in all its forms is key to thriving and resilient communities explores why the water system must consider water in all its forms – and the economic, social and environmental systems that depend on it – to better navigate the increased pressures of climate change and rapid urbanization and enhance resilience in our communities.
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Lead in Drinking Water: Identifying Galvanized Services Lines Requiring Replacement
We’ve co-authored a white paper with BlueConduit discussing best practices for identifying galvanized services lines that require replacement under the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR).
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Leak Detection Technology Reduces Non-revenue Water Losses and Improves Network Health
Discover how South East Water effectively utilized Sotto® network leak detection sensors and Jacobs' analysis to create a sustainable future.