Celebrating 30 Years with the City of Duncan, Oklahoma

The city of Duncan, Oklahoma, is nestled in the heart of the Great Plains, and Jacobs has been a valued resident for 30 years. A small, yet dynamic Jacobs team operates and maintains the city’s 4.5-million-gallon-per-day wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the East City lift station, and manages the industrial pre-treatment program. 

"This year we celebrate 30 years with the city, and the cost-effective and compliant treatment operations we've delivered over the years," says Jacobs Project Manager Scott Golden. "We're currently on our third 10-year renewal, which is a testament to the team's dedication to our three core ingredients for success — safety, innovation and a community mindset.”

Setting a standard for safety 

People are put at the forefront of each decision, especially when it comes to safety. As a result, we recently celebrated going 8,872 days (24 years) without an Occupational Safety and Health Administration recordable incident.

“We live by the mantra ‘Don’t be the zero’,” adds Scott. “It encapsulates a profound ethos instilled in every team member and serves as a daily reminder that each decision, no matter how routine, holds the potential to either maintain the 24-year safety legacy or jeopardize it.” 

It is no accident we maintain this focus and commitment to safety. The 8,872th day was just another day — we didn’t set out to achieve a specific goal. The goal was achieved by our team committing to a BeyondZero® culture.

“We work together with the common goal of returning home each day in the same condition in which we arrived. This approach has not only instilled a sense of responsibility, but has also created a culture where each team member actively contributes to maintaining a safe working environment,” says Scott.

Transforming challenges into successes

Staffing shortages have, at times, proved challenging as being understaffed can result in compliance and maintenance issues. Scotts says, “We focused on building the team and providing our staff with the adequate skills and training so we could operate the plant safely and in full compliance.”

Once fully staffed, we addressed operational inefficiencies through out-of-scope and value-add projects. For example, we rewired a critical pump for the city to allow for a compliance audit task. 

“We always go above and beyond, which reaffirms our commitment to adding value to our operations and to our client,” adds Scott.

In the upcoming months, we will oversee construction of the Jacobs-designed disinfection system. The new system will help address historical compliance challenges with meeting effluent carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand permit limitations. While working through the design phase of the disinfection system and waiting for construction to begin, we made massive strides in our operational strategy to curb these issues. This proactive approach and operational changes mark a significant turnaround, and the facility has surpassed two years without any permit violations.

A community partner

As a team that lives in the city where we work, we understand the value of engaging with the community. We extend our impact beyond the WWTP by actively participating in community events and initiatives. Whether it’s volunteering for various events through Main Street Duncan or participating in the annual United Way BBQ showdown, we’re more than a wastewater operator. We’re community champions.

“At the city of Duncan, the relationship between the Jacobs team and our team members is valued, as is Jacobs’ commitment to being involved in our community,” says Public Information and Civic Engagement Officer Loisdawn Jones. “We congratulate Jacobs on this partnership milestone!”

Scott adds, “As we celebrate our 30th year with the city of Duncan, we’re creating a legacy that can’t be erased.”