Water utilities across the Americas are operating amid increasing complexity. Climate variability, population growth, evolving regulations and aging infrastructure are placing new demands on systems that must continue to provide safe, reliable and affordable water every day. Over time, Jacobs has worked alongside water utilities as these challenges have intensified, supporting long‑term planning, capital delivery and operational decision‑making across a range of local and regional contexts.

Aurora Water reflects this type of collaboration in practice. As an innovator in the water sector, Aurora Water has worked with Jacobs across strategic planning, operations and major capital programs to strengthen long‑term water resilience. This has included developing a 20‑year integrated water systems master plan, creating climate‑informed forecasting tools to support seasonal supply decisions, designing a per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) treatment facility in response to emerging regulations, and providing program management and design for one of the largest new dam projects currently underway in the western United States. Together, these efforts illustrate the value of aligning early planning with long‑term delivery.

Global water leadership, delivered across the Americas

Work with Aurora Water reflects a broader pattern across Jacobs’ water portfolio. The firm works with utilities, municipalities and regional water agencies to address the full lifecycle of water management, ranging from planning and design to program management and system optimization.

In California, this work includes involvement in large-scale water reuse programs that are reshaping how cities think about local water supply. One example is the Donald C. Tillman Advanced Water Purification Facility in Los Angeles, a major advanced treatment project designed to produce purified water for groundwater replenishment. These efforts show how reuse is increasingly integrated into long-term resilience strategies while meeting rigorous regulatory and water quality standards.

Across the United States and Canada, Jacobs’ work with utilities often sits at the intersection of water storage, conveyance and watershed management, where improving supply reliability must be balanced with environmental stewardship. One example is the C-43 West Basin Storage Reservoir Project in Florida, where Jacobs managed construction of a large above-ground reservoir designed to capture and store excess freshwater while protecting sensitive estuarine ecosystems and improving long-term regional water resilience.

In fast‑growing regions, this work also includes helping utilities align growth planning, asset management and capital investment so that future needs can be addressed in a structured and informed way.

Innovating for a changing water landscape

Innovation continues to play an important role as water systems adapt to changing conditions. Jacobs applies science, engineering and digital capabilities to help utilities respond to climate impacts, protect water quality and navigate evolving regulations. This work spans PFAS assessment and treatment, advanced purification processes, potable and non‑potable reuse, desalination, and nature‑based approaches to stormwater and flood management.

In Woodbury, Minnesota, for example, Jacobs designed a treatment facility to remove PFAS from the city’s drinking water supply, which supports continued delivery of safe, high-quality water as regulatory requirements evolve. The project reflects a broader focus on translating new standards and scientific understanding into practical, reliable solutions.

Beyond physical infrastructure, data and digital tools are increasingly being applied to support resilience and recovery. In Hawaii, Jacobs used its Dragonfly tool and other digital solutions to rapidly assess sewer system impacts following wildfire events, enabling faster and more informed response and recovery planning. Approaches like this demonstrate how data-driven tools can help utilities understand system condition, manage risk and accelerate decision-making during critical events.

Delivering at scale with confidence

Large water investments depend on more than technical capability alone. They require clear governance, disciplined program management and coordination among regulators, communities and delivery teams. Jacobs has experience managing and delivering complex, multi-billion-dollar water programs globally, helping utilities navigate risk, schedule pressures and long-term performance considerations.

This experience spans major dams and reservoirs, advanced treatment facilities and regional reuse systems. The Wild Horse Reservoir program with Aurora Water reflects this approach in practice, combining program management and design services to advance a critical new storage asset while working through complex permitting, stakeholder engagement and delivery requirements.

Knowing water, from vision to reality

Across these engagements, Jacobs often serves as a long-term advisor to water leaders, supporting planning, investment decisions and delivery strategies as conditions evolve.

“At Jacobs, we know water,” says Jacobs West Central Water Market Growth Director Span Tummuri. “Through our people, innovation and experience, we help connect planning, infrastructure and operations to deliver dependable outcomes for communities.”