Drinking Water & Reuse
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Developed countries take safe drinking water for granted, but it is truly a modern marvel. By staying on top of the most advanced drinking water and reuse treatment technology, we continue to move the industry forward.
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. We are constantly pushing for more innovative and cost-effective solutions to give more people access to safe and abundant water supplies – especially as populations continue to grow around the world, regulations are changing, infrastructure is aging, and there’s a greater need for increased security.
As the No. 2 ranked design firm by Engineering News-Record (ENR) in Water Supply, Water Treatment and Desalination and recipient of the 2015 the Stockholm Industry Water Award for leadership in potable reuse and public acceptance – we’re excited about what we do, the projects we deliver and how these projects are positively impacting communities around the world.
Our integrated comprehensive services, which consider a triple-bottom-line focus and a OneWater mentality, allow us to move complex water projects from concept to completion and operation – successfully delivering the right solutions for our clients.
What we do
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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Distribution System Water Quality
We support clients with solutions and strategies to ensure high-quality drinking water in distribution systems, from nitrification and legionella prevention to corrosion control and managing disinfectant byproducts. This includes compliance support for evolving regulations like the U.S. Lead and Copper Rule.
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Water Treatment
From removing harmful contaminants to developing new water treatment capacity, our solutions help to create safe and reliable drinking water for communities. We provide advisory, planning, design, design-build and operations services for new water treatment plants, expansions and upgrades, including futureproofing for new and emerging contaminants like PFAS.
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Water Reuse
Jacobs has been supporting clients with water reuse programs for decades, beginning with the first applications of advanced treatment technologies in the 1960s. We provide our clients with a full range of services, from water reuse feasibility studies to design, construction and operations.
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Desalination
A global leader in desalination services for over 40 years, we’ve been actively involved in academic and practical research, pilot-testing of desalination technologies and delivering the design, construction and operation of pioneering desalination systems worldwide.
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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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Pure Water Project Las Virgenes-Triunfo
Jacobs is serving as program manager for a visionary water reuse project in southern California that will create a resilient drinking water supply and protect the local ecosystem.
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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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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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Cutter Lateral Reach 21 Water Treatment Plant
Jacobs delivered the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s first water design-build project, which provides a reliable water supply and rejuvenates communities within the Navajo Nation.
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Removing Lead Pipes while Advancing Environmental Justice in Salt Lake City
Jacobs is working with Salt Lake City to develop a Lead and Copper Rule compliance program that prioritizes early action in disadvantaged communities.
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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.
Meet some of our team
Read more about the talent who make it happen every day.
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Dr. Russell Ford, Global Solutions Director for Drinking Water & Reuse
Dr. Russell Ford has dedicated his 35+ year career to protecting public health and safety by advancing the field of drinking water treatment. His drinking water industry knowledge is acquired from his utility, consulting and academic experience covering a wide range of treatment process design, treatability testing and treatment plant startups. He’s advanced numerous innovative solutions to meet client needs around the globe by developing, evaluating and designing treatment processes that remove a variety of contaminants from drinking water. Dr. Ford holds a Master of Engineering and PhD in Environmental Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Syracuse University. Dr. Ford is a licensed professional engineer in several states and a Board Certified Environmental Engineer.
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Larry Schimmoller, Water Reuse Global Principal
Larry Schimmoller has spent most of his 30+ year career at Jacobs advancing water reuse practices in the global water sector and helping clients respond to the impacts of climate change. He has extensive experience with the design, construction, and operation of potable and non-potable reuse projects throughout the world and has served as the Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI on numerous research projects focused on water reuse. Larry is a recognized expert in advanced treatment and has helped clients address numerous water reuse topics including water quality, water supply, wastewater treatment, advanced treatment, high level disinfection, distribution, managed aquifer recharge, CECs, pathogens, regulations and public outreach.
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Melanie Holmer, Global Water Reuse Principal
An environmental engineer with more than 25 years’ experience, Melanie Holmer specializes in strategic planning, process selection, detailed design, program management and technical direction in drinking water, wastewater and water reuse. She’s a recognized leader in potable reuse and advanced treatment technologies, having focused most of the past decade on providing subject matter expertise for major potable reuse projects as well as providing advanced treatment regulatory and policy development and research, including pilot and full-scale trials to support diverse water supply strategies.
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Constanze Simmermacher, Desalination and Membrane Treatment Global Principal
With 20 years of experience in process engineering and project management within the water and wastewater treatment domain, Constanze distinguishes herself as a dedicated water process engineer committed to creating sustainable water solutions. Constanze’s experience covers feasibility studies, conceptual and detailed design as well as construction management and commissioning. Her portfolio includes expertise in the treatment of surface water, desalination and water reuse, with this experience being applied to projects across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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Jim Lozier, Desalination and Membrane Treatment Global Principal
Jim Lozier is Jacobs’ Global Principal for Membrane Treatment and Desalination and has over 43 years of experience in the water treatment industry specializing in the application of membrane technologies for the treatment of ground, surface and industrial water, as well as for brackish and seawater desalination, potable reuse and brine management. Jim pioneered the application of membrane filtration for reverse osmosis pretreatment for treatment of secondary effluent, which has been adapted across the globe for potable reuse.
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Justin Blythe, Drinking Water Quality Global Principal
Dr. Justin Blythe has over 18 years of experience in water, environmental and analytical chemistry and engineering within consultancy, government and research and development. In his role as Global Principal, Justin supports our clients with water quality challenges related to sourcing, treatment and distribution, including Lead and Copper Rule compliance and emerging contaminants like PFAS, and through the application of scientific principles and new and emerging technologies to deliver best practice and innovation to projects.
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Jennifer Liggett, Drinking Water Quality Global Principal
Jennifer Liggett has over 16 years of research and consulting experience with distribution system water quality. She helps to solve complex water quality and compliance issues including legionella and nitrification prevention and mitigation, corrosion control evaluations, regulatory changes and compliance, discolored water root cause analysis and prevention, and distribution system operations and maintenance challenges. She is a subject matter expert in the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions.
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Jesus Garcia Aleman, Vice President and Drinking Water and Reuse Global Principal
A 22+ year journey at Jacobs has seen Jesus Garcia Aleman steward innovative water treatment solutions across the world. While a process engineer at heart, Jesus specializes in planning, testing, procurement, permitting, design and construction of large-scale, multi-decade expansion programs and upgrades in legacy facilities. Throughout his career, Jesus has stewarded safety in design and innovation in ozone, biological filters, UV disinfection, membranes, emerging contaminant treatment and waste minimization schemes.
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Kim Ervin, Drinking Water and Reuse Global Principal
Kim Ervin has over 25 years of experience planning and designing water treatment projects for our clients. She focuses on all areas of water system planning, including treatment process evaluation and the use of data solutions to optimize facility planning and design. Kim has served in a variety of roles over the last 25+ years including design of drinking water treatment systems, construction oversight, operations management and Global Technology Leader for Master Planning and Applied Digital Tools.
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Steve Alt, Desalination and Reuse Global Principal
Steve Alt’s credentials include more than 30 years in the application, design, startup, commissioning, and pilot testing of membrane processes (microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), a nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO)) on a variety of environmental water and wastewater projects ranging from groundwater and seawater desalination for potable use, industrial water and wastewater treatment and the reclamation of municipal effluent. Steve has designed desalination projects in Singapore, Morocco, Australia, the Middle East, and North America.
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Brian Lowes, Industrial Water Global Principal
Brian Lowes has a diverse background in industrial water and wastewater, remedial technologies and strategies, along with process design and planning. As Industrial Water Global Principal, Brian supports Jacobs’ industrial clients as they face risks with water scarcity, environmental regulations, corporate social responsibility and aging infrastructure. Brian has extensive experience with emerging contaminants, such as PFAS and microplastics, and supports Jacobs’ comprehensive capabilities in water management and treatment, O&M, sustainability planning and reporting and regulatory compliance.
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Tony Myers, Drinking Water Treatment Global Principal
Tony Myers has 40 years’ experience in master planning, treatability studies, design, construction and startup of drinking water facilities. He has expertise in conventional drinking water treatment, ozone, GAC, UV disinfection and lime softening. Tony has extensive experience rehabilitating existing water plants to meet new regulations and improve water quality. He also has expertise in distribution system water quality and corrosion control studies. Tony has worked on over 100 water plants in the United States and abroad.
Read our latest news
From new project wins and milestones to reports, podcasts and industry insights, discover what we’re up to.
From our newsroom
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NewsMcCarthy-Jacobs Joint Venture Secures Groundwater Desalination Project in Southern California
The McCarthy-Jacobs joint venture was selected to design and build the Torrance Groundwater Desalter Expansion, a critical component of Water Replenishment District (WRD) of Southern California’s Brackish Groundwater Reclamation Program and its larger “WIN 4 ALL” initiative. The desalination expansion project will treat salt water in the West Coast Groundwater Basin and create a more resilient local drinking water supply for more than 88,000 residents in the area – eliminating the need for imported water.
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NewsJacobs to Continue Supporting One of California’s Largest Water Reuse Projects
Jacobs has been selected by LA Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) as the progressive design-build contractor for the Donald C. Tillman Advanced Water Equalization Basins, another critical part of the City of Los Angeles' long-term plans to increase recycled water production by 2035.
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NewsJacobs to Operate and Maintain Advanced Water Reuse Facility in California
Jacobs secured a 10-year contract with Soquel Creek Water District (SqCWD) to operate and maintain a new advanced water purification facility. The facility, part of SqCWD's Pure Water Soquel program, focuses on groundwater replenishment and seawater intrusion prevention in Santa Cruz County, California.
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NewsA View on the Future of Water Supply: A Q&A with Robert Fowlie
Water is one natural resource we all share – it shapes our lives, our communities, our ecosystems and the Earth’s climate. But managing this essential resource has never been more complicated. In this Q&A, Robert Fowlie, our water client account manager in New Mexico and El Paso, talks about the trends shaping the water industry today and how our clients are using a OneWater approach to prepare for the future.
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NewsScaling Solutions for PFAS Reduction
Decisive action is needed to reduce the risk of PFAS-containing products and their impact on human health and ecosystems. By working collaboratively, we can manage PFAS across its full lifecycle, from phase-out of specific products to site remediation, drinking water treatment and waste management.
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NewsA View on the Future of PFAS Liability: A Q&A with Bahman Bani
The contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is one of the greatest chemical remediation challenges in the world right now and PFAS regulation and compliance is rapidly changing to adapt to the true scale of the problem. Pioneers and problem-solvers like Bahman Bani, Jacobs' senior environmental remediation engineer, are helping to discover the best way forward for clients and communities.