Jacobs to Tackle Wastewater Treatment Emissions Alongside Metro Vancouver

In a major step toward a more sustainable future, Metro Vancouver has selected Jacobs to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). 

Metro Vancouver, a forward-thinking utility, provides regional utility services for three million residents across British Columbia, including wastewater management. Its system processes around 320 million gallons (more than 1.2 billion liters) of wastewater daily. Recognizing wastewater treatment’s role in GHG emissions, Metro Vancouver has set ambitious goals: a 45% reduction from 2010 levels by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. 

As Metro Vancouver’s engineering services consultant, Jacobs will focus on identifying and reducing fugitive emissions, beginning with the Lulu Island WWTP and potentially extending to other facilities.

With more than 100 years of experience in wastewater projects and extensive knowledge of Metro Vancouver’s five WWTPs; Jacobs will develop a plan tailored to local needs while incorporating global best practices for lasting impact.

“Leveraging our global expertise and local knowledge, we’re working with Metro Vancouver to create a robust monitoring and mitigation plan,” says Jacobs Project Manager Lucy Cotter. “This project is about identifying emissions and implementing real, tangible solutions to reduce them.”

Jacobs has led GHG mitigation efforts at WWTPs worldwide, from conceptual design and cost analysis to innovation projects that minimize nitrous oxide (N₂O) formation and maximize biogas capture, reducing methane leakage where it matters most. 

“This project is just the beginning. As we work with Metro Vancouver to reduce GHG emissions, we're excited about the potential to expand these efforts to other WWTPs in the region,” adds Jacobs Global Principal - Wastewater Energy Optimization and Sector Decarbonization Emma Shen. “Together, we're not just addressing climate change - we're setting a new standard for environmental stewardship in the wastewater sector.”

For more than two decades, Jacobs has designed and delivered critical water and wastewater infrastructure improvements for Metro Vancouver, including the award-winning New Westminster Interceptor Columbia Section Rehabilitation, where trenchless technology helped reduce construction emissions, and upgrades at the Northwest Langley WWTP. In 2024, Metro Vancouver also selected Jacobs for the Coquitlam Lake Water Supply Project – which will expand capacity for the region’s largest drinking water source – and upgrades at the Iona Island WWTP. During the early planning and design phases for the Iona program – which will upgrade the 60-year-old treatment plant and improve water quality – we worked with Metro Vancouver to analyze GHG emissions for various treatment options. 

This latest collaboration aligns Jacobs’ global research and solutions for GHG emissions in the water sector, including N₂O emissions research for The Water Research Foundation.