A View on the Future of Drinking Water and Reuse: A Q&A with Dr. Russell Ford

Water is one natural resource we all share – but managing our essential drinking water supplies has never been more complicated. 

From water scarcity to emerging contaminants, providing the safe drinking water that many of us take for granted requires solutions to new and complex challenges. 

At Jacobs, we are constantly pushing for more innovative and cost-effective solutions to give more people access to safe and abundant water supplies. From advanced water treatment facilities to innovative potable water reuse programs, we’re not just treating water – we’re giving communities, industries and regions the resource they need to flourish and grow. 

In this Q&A we connect with Jacobs Global Solutions Director for Drinking Water and Reuse Dr. Russell Ford to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead as we support our clients with safe and resilient drinking water solutions. 

Tell us about your role as Jacobs Global Solutions Director for Drinking Water and Reuse, and what we offer our clients in the space.

In my role as Global Solutions Director for Drinking Water and Reuse, I’m part of our Market Solutions team at Jacobs. Our primary goal is to integrate advanced technology into the delivery of our projects, helping us to stay at the forefront of innovation within the industry and ensuring that we have a robust network of professionals capable of implementing solutions for our clients. 

We provide comprehensive drinking water and reuse solutions, covering conventional water treatment, membrane desalination, water reuse and water quality management. Our focus also extends to addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS, 1,4-Dioxane and microplastics in both groundwater and surface water treatment. Essentially, we handle all aspects of drinking water treatment and reuse, providing safe and sustainable water supplies to the communities we serve.

What are the biggest challenges in drinking water and reuse today?

The main challenges our clients face related to drinking water and reuse can be broadly categorized into three areas: water scarcity, water quality and aging infrastructure.

In certain regions around the world, water scarcity is a significant issue due to the impacts of climate change and increased demand for water. Clients are increasingly driven to use more degraded water sources, such as brackish groundwater and impaired impoundments, which require higher levels of treatment. The more degraded the water source, the more chemicals and energy are required to make it usable, which adds to the complexity and cost. This demands more sustainable approaches to water supply and treatment, like using alternative energy sources and the wider adoption of water reuse. Our clients are also facing more stringent drinking water quality regulations, particularly around emerging contaminants like PFAS and eliminating lead in drinking water. 

On top of this, many clients are dealing with the challenges of an aging workforce and aging infrastructure. Many experienced water industry professionals are now retiring, creating staffing challenges for our clients, while water infrastructure first built in the 1950s to 1980s now requires significant retrofits and capital investment to continue producing water that protects public health. 

How are you helping our clients to think differently as they respond to future challenges? 

We encourage clients to adopt a holistic approach to water management, considering the entire water system rather than focusing on individual components. This OneWater approach involves looking at drinking water, water resources, stormwater and wastewater collectively. By doing so, clients can identify solutions that benefit the entire system rather than optimizing one part at the expense of others. Water reuse – repurposing wastewater as a high-quality water supply – is a great example of OneWater in action.

We also emphasize sustainability and energy efficiency – developing solutions, for example, that use alternative energy sources and energy recovery systems. In desalination systems using reverse osmosis membranes, recovering the energy used in these high-pressure processes can lead to significant efficiencies and reduced costs. Additionally, we consider the overall lifecycle cost of projects, balancing capital intensity with long-term operations.

What are the biggest opportunities ahead in drinking water and reuse?

PFAS is a significant challenge for the water industry but it also presents opportunities for innovation. Currently there are only a few established treatment technologies being used, such as granular activated carbon, ion exchange resins and reverse osmosis membranes. While there’s a lot of research looking at regenerable media that can be reused, all of these technologies produce a waste that’s highly concentrated in PFAS and needs to be managed. Destructive technologies that completely destroy PFAS compounds are a really promising for research and innovation – and will be key to tackling the challenge holistically across the PFAS lifecycle. 

Another significant opportunity is the utilization of data and digital tools. By leveraging data mining and optimization, water utilities can make more efficient decisions, reduce chemicals and power usage, and anticipate water quality issues to prevent process upsets. Working with partners like Palantir, we can analyze historical data to optimize operations and address the loss of knowledge that utilities face due to retirements.

Is there a project you’re particularly proud of?

One innovative project I helped to design is the state-of-the-art upgrade to the Choa Chu Kang Waterworks (CCKWW) for PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency. The project upgraded the existing 360 million liters per day waterworks through the addition of new ceramic membrane filters, an ozone system and biological activated carbon contactors. These improvements enhance both the lifespan and robustness of the treatment process, allowing the plant to process a wider range of water quality fluctuations. CCKWW is one of the largest full-scale waterworks to use ceramic membranes globally.