Aging infrastructure, booming urban populations and more intense climate events have stretched the capabilities of existing infrastructure. These changes have ushered in a new era of investment across the entire water infrastructure portfolio to increase both capacity and resiliency. As a result of this investment, the program management delivery model has become a key tool for utilities to manage delivery complexities in addition to meeting multiple long-term objectives.

According to EPA estimates, U.S. utilities will need to spend around US$1.2 trillion to meet clean watershed and drinking water capital needs. This spending target will require unprecedented investments to upgrade existing infrastructure and construct new public works while protecting generational water supplies.

Today’s water modernization objectives span immense financial and technical scales and require a nuanced approach to planning and delivery that aligns diverse stakeholders, ensures funding availability, defines procurement strategies and, ultimately, integrates new assets into existing systems. Water infrastructure owners and operators have embraced the program management delivery model because it aligns complex, disparate projects to meet long term goals for stakeholders.

The AECOM Way

Large infrastructure investments involve numerous communities, regulators, stakeholders with often competing objectives. Delivering a successful program is just as much about organizational governance, communication and collaboration as it is about technical expertise. That’s where program management has proven so critical: it allows organizations to align expectations such that it can shape investments to meet stakeholders’ needs.

As program managers for some of the world’s largest, multi-billion-dollar water programs, our teams are leveraging the AECOM Way of program management to help utilities plan and execute generational capital investments.  Our collaborations are not only rooted in the disciplines of cost and schedule management, they’re also delivering lasting benefits for local communities.

What does the AECOM Way of program management look like in action? Two programs in particular — the Hampton Roads Sanitation District’s (HRSD) SWIFT full scale implementation program and Chicago Department of Water Management’s (DWM) capital improvement program — demonstrate how our unique approach benefits communities across the program life cycle.

SWIFT: Addressing groundwater over-withdrawal 

With an estimated capital value of nearly $3 billion, the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) is the single largest capital investment HRSD has embarked on.

SWIFT is an innovative, advanced water treatment and conveyance program in eastern Virginia designed to enhance the sustainability of the region’s long-term groundwater supply and help address environmental pressures such as Chesapeake Bay restoration, relative sea level rise, and saltwater intrusion. SWIFT takes highly treated water, which would otherwise be discharged into the James River, and applies multiple rounds of advanced water treatment. The resulting SWIFT Water® meets drinking water quality standards and is subsequently used to recharge the Potomac aquifer.

The sheer size and schedule of the program reflected the need for a rapid expansion in HRSD’s delivery capabilities as well as a rapid ramp-down upon completion. That’s where our program management capabilities came into play.

Our approach began with facilitated partnering early in the program. Within the very first week, stakeholders assembled in person to align priorities, build consensus around the vision of the program, and, critically, design governance for decision-making.

These early discussions formed the foundation of our program management plan — the essence of the program itself, outlining key aspects of the program’s approach to governance, schedule and budget maintenance to engineering, design and sustainability.

While hard infrastructure assets are the basis of the SWIFT program, the development and implementation of a Community Commitment Program is also a key element for all SWIFT partners.  The goal of the Community Commitment Program is to encourage SWIFT business partners to build upon HRSD’s collective commitment to the communities they serve and expand their positive impact, beyond physical infrastructure. 

Another successful component of the SWIFT program has been the annual SWIFT Industry Day, which was designed to foster networking, increase project knowledge, and provide attendees with the opportunity to learn more about ongoing SWIFT initiatives, ultimately leading to increased competition and higher disadvantaged business participation on SWIFT projects.  

DWM Capital Improvement Program: sustaining America’s third-largest city

The Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) is responsible for one of the world’s most impressive water systems, capable of delivering nearly 1 billion gallons per day of drinking water and sewer system management functions. Our AECOM and D. B. Sterlin Joint Venture (JV) team is responsible for delivering program management services across DWM’s assets through its latest five-year, US$3.9 billion capital improvement program. From the very beginning, we understood the program’s scope required a unique approach. The key to successful delivery across such vast infrastructure would be deep collaboration.

The centerpiece of the program is the program management office (PMO) embedded within the current DWM office located at the Jardine Water Purification Plant, enabling greater efficiency and alignment. About 130 fit-for-purpose program staff were rapidly onboarded within the first 90 days, and today, the program maintains about 160 full-time equivalent staff levels in twelve diverse program tasks.

While team members from DWM and PMO share the same physical workspace, the same is true for their digital presence. The program’s applied technologies support digital utility management practices for optimal program delivery and continued enhancements for future readiness.

This integrated program management model is proving highly successful. In 2024 alone, 20 miles of water mains and 3,150 lead service line replacements were designed. We have managed about 60 facilities engineering projects with $1 billion of ongoing investment at two large water filtration projects; twelve pump stations; two intake cribs in Lake Michigan; and an extensive large tunnel conveyance system.

The team has also bolstered existing IT/GIS/Enterprise Asset Management systems while also completing 50 digital projects, including system upgrades, work management systems, project portals, mobile applications, decision support dashboards, and process automations.

A proven water program delivery partner

The water sector continues to undertake programs of ever-greater scale. Yet the challenges it faces — from climate change to infrastructure modernization — have demanded a new delivery model.

By taking a programmatic approach, water service providers can rapidly ramp up their delivery capabilities, effectively manage complex programs, and meet critical objectives. On large-scale investments by DWM and HRSD, programmatic thinking is already paying dividends — delivering infrastructure on time and with local stakeholders at the center of decision-making.

Learn more about how AECOM is delivering a better world through program management.

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When readying treatment plants for the future, there is a risk of failing to properly or fully account for the long-term and compounding impacts of extreme weather, shifting rainfall patterns and rising temperatures on water quality and treatment needs. As a result, facility plans struggle to manage uncertainty and are often unresponsive to evolving stakeholder expectations. This not only limits solutions for resilience but also heightens financial and reputational risks for utilities. 

How do we modernize water treatment facility planning?  

Fortunately, there are models for what modern facility planning could look like across the globe. Facility planning for three North American water systems — including a Midwest user, Pacific Northwest user and Central Mountain user — demonstrates how a 50-year planning horizon, combined with a social value lens that considers broad internal and external stakeholder inputs, can modernize facility planning. This approach integrates climate resilience, stakeholder engagement and adaptive planning to provide water systems with the best chance to be ready for the future. 

Five steps to modernize water treatment facility planning 

We developed this framework through lessons learned from facility planning for the three North American water systems. All three faced conditions of increasing uncertainty, attributable to water quality, hydrology, population dynamics, industrial customers and/or changing attitudes to social value. Unsurprisingly, they also all faced their own unique set of challenges, from aging infrastructure to the need to augment and diversify the supply portfolio. Due to the different needs we saw in the three case studies, this framework is flexible by design.  

Step 1: Define the boundaries  

Begin with establishing the boundaries for the facility plan: in addition to the treatment works, should it include the supply and network infrastructure?  Extend the planning horizon to 50 years to better align with long-term challenges and opportunities. As the plan is developed, integrate climate considerations — such as changes in hydrology, water quality and shifting water demand patterns including domestic climate migration — into the analysis. To anticipate a water system’s needs in the future, we first consider the magnitude of change that has come before us in terms of how we use water, how our cities have grown, workforce dynamics, and 50 years of technology and regulatory advancement. We then consider potential gaps in the existing treatment and supply portfolio, to provide multiple barriers for pathogen control and particulate removal, redundancy in the supplies, as well as different classes of contaminants. 

Equally important is embedding social value into the planning process by addressing factors like water affordability, equitable access to safe drinking water and opportunities for local workforce development. This holistic approach improves the likelihood that the facility is more resilient to future climate impacts and is more responsive to the needs of the communities it serves. 

Step 2: Identify and engage stakeholders
The purpose here is to identify the stakeholders that can influence the outcomes, promote the facility plan or represent the community’s values, with the goal of going beyond internal stakeholder engagement. 

For the Midwest user, external stakeholders took a lead role in developing and shaping the facility plan through a range of forums: 

• Meetings with community members that historically had not contributed to a major infrastructure project, including representatives from low-income households and youth groups.  

• Major customers, including wholesale systems, the school board, the university and a watershed steward advocacy group, were invited to participate in the project’s steering committee.  

Internal stakeholders should include members of operations and maintenance along with representation from the wastewater, distribution system and water resources departments to provide an integrated water management perspective. In the Midwest case study, these utility representatives joined the major customers on the project’s steering committee. An executive committee can provide key links to finance and administration departments, whose support is key to securing the budgets necessary for implementation of the facility plan.  

Broad representation from both external and internal stakeholders will lead to more creative solutions while also promoting broad support for the facility plan. 

Step 3: Collaborate on problem solving
In this step, the needs and boundaries of the facility plan are considered in the context of potential solutions that are framed holistically to leverage synergistic benefits. For our three water users, we used historical data reviews, scenario modelling and/or demonstration testing to assess the feasibility of potential solutions. In this step, engagement with operations and maintenance staff is invaluable when defining the needs of the facility plan, as well as the potential solutions.   

For our work with the Central Mountain user, the water system identified multiple climate futures and evaluated potential solutions against changing conditions. For the Midwest user, stakeholder input reshaped both the treatment goals and the infrastructure priorities related to water security and the supply portfolio.  

Step 4: Engage the steering committee
Engage the steering committee early in the planning process to provide strategic oversight, foster alignment and support decision making. Be sure to define the committee’s governance, so that all participants understand expectations and the influence of their contributions.  

Step 5: Document and promote the plan
The facility plan can be used to document assumptions for risk, infrastructure investment, workforce development and/or financial support. 

The governance of the facility plan should consider how it is updated and used when implementing individual projects identified in the facility plan. All three water users documented their plan through a report and easy-to-read executive summary, and some formally presented it to its Council or Board for approval.

Case Study: The Midwest water user’s inclusive planning model 

The Midwest user’s facility plan is a model of modern utility planning. As a result of extensive stakeholder input with major customers and broad-based community engagement, including customers underrepresented in the past, the city redefined its treatment goals and expanded the boundaries of its facility plan to improve water security for its customers in the face of drought and contaminant threats. The facility plan includes indicators to trigger action for contaminants like PFAS and 1,4-dioxane, while prioritizing affordability and reliability. We will use this inclusive, forward-looking model that is heavily founded in engagement when working with other water systems.

The final case for modernizing water treatment facility planning  

No matter where you are in the world, our water systems are facing water security challenges — some more than others — but the uncertainty and unpredictability exist. And to address these, we need to do things differently. This framework and approach demonstrate that a data-informed and stakeholder-shaped plan will give us the best chance at meeting the needs of the water system well into the future.

Artistic impressions used for storytelling only. 

The post How to future-proof water treatment plants: Transitioning to a 50-year planning horizon appeared first on Without Limits.

Water scarcity imposes immense strain on communities across the country — with nearly 30 million Americans living in areas of high local water stress. Yet, scarcity is not merely a problem for residential consumers.

While communities use substantial quantities of potable water, industrial uses — power generation, mining and manufacturing — constitute over half of all ground and surface withdrawals in the U.S. Even more water for industrial uses is obtained from municipal potable water sources. Together, these applications have a tremendous economic impact: on a national scale, a single day of water service disruption would lead to $22.5 billion in lost GDP.

To mitigate these risks, water-dependent industries have turned to water reuse. This approach already boasts a proven track record. And with a new generation of water-intensive factories, such as EV battery plants and semiconductors, it’s become more critical than ever.

Why reuse?

Water reuse carries an array of benefits — both direct and indirect — for industrial facilities. One of the most apparent is resilience.

With chip fabs coming online in highly arid regions, many manufacturers have increasingly turned to reuse. When considering the water demand for chipmaking, it’s easy to see why; a single semiconductor fab can match the water demand of 300,000 households. Moreover, around 40 percent of semiconductor facilities will be located in watersheds facing severe water stress by 2030. In response, reuse has become a key strategy, with the rate of reuse industry-wide between 40 to 70 percent of water used.

Drought resilience, however, is far from the only motivator for industrial reuse. Environmental protection and compliance have also become key concerns. Increasingly stringent effluent discharge requirements have prompted many industrial facilities to implement reuse to remain compliant. In some cases, jurisdictions even mandate reuse.

Cost also serves as a key driver for reuse. If only local, potable water is available, operators may see lower costs from sourcing reclaimed water with less intensive purification requirements.

One benefit of reuse is harder to quantify — but equally impactful. Reuse technologies can make industrial facilities better neighbors, limiting their local impacts on water supplies and ecosystems. Not only does this create goodwill, but it can also streamline the delivery of new facilities by assuaging local concerns.

The right use

Industrial water reuse has many potential applications within an industrial facility. Reuse water can be used for steam generation and cooling; sanitation and cleaning for food processing and electronics manufacturing; and can supply process water for use in a product or its manufacture. Many industrial facilities also deliver key social and economic functions, handle highly environmentally sensitive materials and wastes, or demand exceptional water quality for high-precision applications. To apply reuse in an industrial setting, then, requires both a bespoke and rigorous approach to meet unique facility requirements.

In cooling tower applications such as those used for power generation and data center cooling, reuse systems must account for the impact of the reuse water quality on the cooling tower chemistry and blowdown rate for each specific system. For semiconductor manufacturing, water needs to be treated to ultra-pure standards, requiring advanced treatment. Food manufacturing can prove particularly water intensive as well and must also cope with substantial quantities of nutrients and organic waste.

No matter the end use, facility operators need to first define the facility water balance and required water quality. Process manufacturing can use water differently throughout numerous stages. It’s therefore essential to identify the most significant water-using processes to plan the right treatment approach.

Quality is equally critical as quantity. An individual facility can have numerous water uses ranging from drinking, fire suppression, utilities, cleaning, or raw material preparation. Each use will demand a different intensity of purification.

In some cases, elements of reuse may already exist at a candidate facility. Certain facilities have pre-treatment processes already in place, and implementing more comprehensive reuse technologies must factor in how to integrate with these existing systems.

A matter of location

Beyond industry- and plant-specific design considerations, another concern is proximity.

It’s often viable for industry to use treated effluent from nearby water reclamation facilities (WRF). If the WRF produces effluent of the right quality to meet industrial needs, this approach may make the most sense, chiefly due to affordability. WRF effluent reuse often demands lower capital and operational costs, as it minimizes the extent of onsite treatment infrastructure.

Yet, WRF sourcing is not always the right approach. WRF effluent can experience variability in its characteristics, such as microconstituents and other regulated constituents, that can make it unsuitable for certain industrial applications. The location of the WRF effluent may be at significant distance from the industry, increasing the cost for infrastructure to convey the effluent. The ability of the WRF to accept the industry’s wastewater, such as cooling tower blowdown, should also be considered.

When WRF effluent reuse proves prohibitive, treating the industry’s wastewater on site for reuse can provide a viable alternative.

If an industry’s onsite wastewater treatment system already produces high quality effluent, a facility may be particularly well positioned to introduce industrial reuse. An added advantage of industrial effluent reuse is the opportunity for point-of-use recycling to recover water and chemicals for industrial processes. And, of course, industrial effluent reuse will provide a far more resilient water supply.

Yet onsite reuse is not without complications. Added considerations include water storage for treated water, backup water supply in case of system failures and concentrated waste stream handling and disposal for contaminated media.

Reuse in Action

Food Processing

Food production is a common application for reuse technologies. Our experts worked with a client to implement reuse at a major food processing plant, motivated by local water scarcity. One of client’s greatest challenges was effluent quality: intensive food production generated wastewater with high strength organics, nitrogen and phosphorus.

Our solution involved a treatment train including screening, dissolved air flotation, membrane bioreactor, effluent cooling, UV disinfection, and reverse osmosis. The resulting system now delivers 130,000 gallons per day of recycled water used in cooling towers and truck washing.

Electronics

Often, it’s viable to utilize both local WRF effluent reclamation and onsite reuse. Our teams delivered a world-class example of this approach at an industrial park in East Asia. The work involved two major projects: the expansion of a municipal wastewater treatment plant and a water reclamation facility at a nearby semiconductor fab owned by a top-tier chipmaker.

Our teams expanded the local WRF’s capacity to 50,000 cubic meters per day, adding capabilities to reclaim local sewage for safe discharge. Some of that reclaimed water was then diverted for treatment at the new water reclamation plant at the nearby fab, whose 30,000 cubic-meter-per-day capacity supports process reuse.

Reclaiming the future

Climate change is altering the nature of the industrial sector. Not only has it accelerated the manufacture of clean technologies, it’s also reoriented how industry itself operates. Drought has become a fact of life for many new industrial facilities — and so too has water reuse.

Whether derived locally or onsite, reclaimed water promises greater profitability, sustainability and reliability for industrial companies. It may seem complex to implement, yet it has become not merely viable, but mission-critical across an array of applications. As climate change accelerates, it’s likely to prove even more so.

Learn more about how we’re delivering water reuse solutions for clients around the world.

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A proud Bidjara woman and a civil engineer based in Brisbane, Australia, Miranda has been part of AECOM since 2016. She’s worked across a range of community and water infrastructure projects, including Regional Waste Management Plans for the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and Dam Recreational Facility Upgrades for Sunwater. But it’s her approach, grounded in cultural awareness, collaboration and deep listening, that sets her apart.

“I started at AECOM as an undergrad in 2016. Now I get to work with communities and support the next generation, just like others did for me.”

Miranda’s commitment goes beyond the technical. She mentors students through the Indigenous Australian Engineering School (IAES), a program she attended herself in Year 12, and volunteers with Engineers Without Borders.

“IAES changed everything for me. It showed me I could be an engineer. Now I get to be that person for someone else, and the students definitely keep me young!”

That full-circle moment, going from participant to mentor, is at the heart of Miranda’s work: helping others feel seen and supported in industries where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are often underrepresented.

Late last year, Miranda travelled to Mparntwe (Alice Springs) to attend the Voices from the Bush Conference, hosted by the Australian Water Association (AWA) and the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA). The event brought together water professionals, utilities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders to explore the role of culture in water planning and resilience.

“The Arabana Rangers shared stories of mound springs that used to shoot metres into the air. Some of those springs are gone now because of groundwater extraction. And when the spring disappears, you lose the story too. That really stayed with me.”

For Miranda, the conference was a powerful reminder of how infrastructure decisions can impact community connection to Country, and why culturally informed engagement must happen from the start.

“We have to stop treating engagement as a checkbox. It’s a relationship. It takes time to build trust. You can’t just show up [to communities] and expect to be welcomed in. You have to make space to really listen.”

She sees a clear role for organisations like AECOM to drive earlier engagement through client partnerships and project planning.

“We need to create space in our programs for meaningful consultation, not just when it’s convenient [for us], but when it’s right for the community.”

Miranda’s vision is practical, grounded, and community-led.

“We should be designing ourselves out of the job, empowering communities to manage their own solutions. It’s not about giving them the flashiest technology. It’s about giving them something they can maintain, something that works.”

This mindset is reflected in projects across AECOM, from partnerships in flood-affected towns like Gympie to long-term planning in remote regions.

Whether it’s working with clients, mentoring students or contributing to reconciliation advisory groups, Miranda keeps coming back to one thing: empowerment.

“A lot of the students I mentor didn’t even know university was an option. By the end of the camp, they realised it was. That moment — when they see what’s possible — that’s the part I love.”

For Miranda, water is more than infrastructure. It’s story. It’s culture. It’s connection. And in every project she leads, she’s helping make sure those stories aren’t just protected, but passed on.

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Across Australia, New Zealand and beyond, water resilience is at the heart of urban sustainability. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, coupled with aging infrastructure, means we need to adopt new approaches to managing stormwater, reducing sewage overflows and creating livable, green cities.  

The transition from grey infrastructure — concrete pipes, tunnels and treatment plants — to integrated blue-green solutions is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. 

The wake-up call: Lessons from extreme weather events 

Events like Tropical Cyclone Alfred in South East Queensland demonstrated the challenges posed by climate variability. Heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding placed significant pressure on existing infrastructure, reinforcing the importance of integrating nature-based solutions to enhance resilience and mitigate future risks. As extreme weather events become more frequent, the urgency to build more resilient communities continues to grow. 

The shift to blue-green infrastructure 

Cities around the world are beginning to embrace blue-green infrastructure — nature-based solutions that work with, rather than against, the water cycle. These projects aim to slow, store and treat water naturally, reducing the burden on traditional sewer systems while delivering multiple co-benefits. 

We integrate wetlands, mangroves and green infrastructure into urban and rural landscapes to protect water, support biodiversity and enhance climate resilience. By working with nature, we ensure that communities across ANZ benefit from sustainable, adaptive and long-term water solutions that safeguard both people and the environment. 

Learning from global leaders in water resilience 

From our work around the world, there are three key lessons that can be applied to Australia and New Zealand:  

1. Proactive investments pay off – The Glasgow Smart Canal demonstrates how digital technology, integrated with blue-green infrastructure, can anticipate and manage heavy rainfall. By lowering canal levels in advance of storms, the system provides much-needed storage capacity to reduce flood risks and enable urban development.
2. Nature can be our greatest asset – The Mansfield sustainable drainage project in the U.K. proves that working with nature—through rain gardens, bio-swales, and permeable paving—can prevent sewer overflows while enhancing urban livability.
3. Collaboration Is Key – Northern Ireland’s approach to wastewater treatment in wetlands highlights the power of cross-sector collaboration. By engaging local communities and stakeholders, water utilities can create solutions that are both environmentally effective and socially beneficial. 

The call for cross-sector collaboration

The success of these projects’ hinges on collaboration. Water utilities, urban planners, landscape architects, ecologists and engineers must work together to break down silos and integrate water-sensitive designs into future developments. Public engagement is also critical — when communities see the tangible benefits of blue-green spaces, they become advocates for further investment in sustainable infrastructure. 

As Cathy Crawley, our ANZ nature-based solutions lead, explains:

“Nature provides the best solutions. By integrating blue-green infrastructure into our urban and rural landscapes, we’re not only protecting water but enhancing biodiversity, supporting community well-being, and increasing climate resilience. Our challenge is to work with nature, not against it, to deliver infrastructure that safeguards both people and the environment.”

Additionally, Simon Parsons, director of environment, planning and assurance at Scottish Water, highlights the importance of long-term thinking: 

“We must rethink how we design urban spaces, recognizing that traditional grey infrastructure alone won’t be enough. By embedding nature-based solutions, we can create cities that are not just resilient but also more liveable and sustainable.”  

The future of water resilience 

The transition from grey to blue-green infrastructure represents a paradigm shift in urban water management. By embracing nature-based solutions, cities can build resilience against climate change, reduce operational costs and enhance quality of life for their residents. 

The challenge ahead is not just technical — it’s about leadership, collaboration and a willingness to rethink traditional approaches. The need for change is clear, and the opportunity is immense.  

Listen to the accompanying podcast here. 

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One of the greatest hurdles — and potential opportunities — is the management and prevention of harmful discharge into surface and groundwater. Smarter mine water management is a crucial piece of this puzzle. Lucy Pugh, our global industrial water practice lead, explores how mine water can be treated and reused to reduce the impact on the local environment.  

Increased demand means increased responsibility

Growth in renewable energy, electricity networks, electric vehicles (EVs) and battery storage technologies is driving an ever-greater need for minerals. Elements such as copper, cobalt, nickel and lithium are, and will continue to be, in high demand. The World Bank predicts that demand for copper alone, largely driven by these low carbon technologies, will increase by 50 percent in the next 20 years.

As the mining industry ramps up operations to supply these elements, their environmental practices face increasing scrutiny. Water management plays a crucial role in mining — it’s essential for extraction, washing, sorting minerals, dust suppression and slurry transport. Effective water management is key to a company’s operational efficiency, sustainability and compliance with current regulatory requirements.

Drivers for change

Mining operations impact local water sources in several ways, including acid rock drainage from mine waste, residual chemicals present in wastewater, management of tailings (a by-product of the mining process) and the diversion of watercourses on the surface or underground.

Since the middle of the last century, attitudes about how we use water in mining have changed considerably for the better. This has been driven by several factors:

1. Water scarcity.  In dry regions like the Australian outback, mines must reuse water to protect the region’s ecology and maintain operations.

2. Continuously evolving regulations.  Water management rules vary by country. Regulations change as new research reveals new risks. Mandates respond based on new information, such as the hazards of constituents like selenium in mining water.

3. Environment and social value.  Alongside other heavy industries, mining companies have a responsibility to society to minimize their environmental impact. Moreover, their performance on these issues can influence shareholder confidence and business viability.

4. Cost.  Recycling wastewater lowers treatment expenses and reduces the need for expensive freshwater supplies, especially in water-scarce regions.

There is also the potential cost (financial and reputational) of contravening regulations, both for discharge and water extraction. In recent years, regulators have issued numerous fines for breaching water licenses – including a Chilean copper mine which received a US$8.2 million fine in 2022 for exceeding its permitted extraction limits, while a Canadian mine was fined CA$60 million for polluting watercourses in 2021.

A two-fold approach

Water management challenges are unique to every mine. They vary based on local regulations, geography, water tables and the materials being extracted. However, management can broadly fall into two main approaches, each with their own pros and cons:

1. Treatment for water discharge.  This process can be expensive. For instance, cyanide used to leach gold from ore must be removed from wastewater. Mines have traditionally used costly oxidation or ultraviolet light technology for treatment. The good news is that new technologies, such as SART (sulfidization, acidification, recycling, thickening), reduce operating costs and environmental liabilities by recovering cyanide for reuse.

2. Treatment for water reuse.  This strategy may involve capturing excess water from early processing stages and repurposing it for later steps, such as using polishing water to clean equipment. However, reuse is only possible if operators understand how added chemicals behave in the water and react throughout the mining process.

Successful examples of mine water management 

Solar glass mine — Manitoba, Canada

A mining company intended to extract sand for the glass used in solar panels; however, the mine was in an environmentally sensitive area with an indigenous community and important fishing grounds nearby. In response, the company committed to zero water discharges by using only mechanical treatment processes, avoiding chemicals. This approach allowed the reuse of 100 percent of the available process water, minimizing the need for additional water.

Base metals mine — Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada

Nearly a century old, storm water and spring melt would collect in the Canadian mine, which became contaminated by minerals from the mine tailings. The contaminated water needed to be treated before being discharged into the watercourse, involving chemically intensive processes.

Initially, the site owners planned to neutralize the tailings to cut long-term costs. Instead, they discovered a way to reclaim the valuable minerals. They adopted a solution that uses a series of chemical extractions and physical separation technologies including flotation, countercurrent thickening and dewatering. After extracting the residual minerals, dewatered tailings will be placed in an impoundment area that are capped at end-of-life with no further surface water treatment expected.

What does the future hold?  

As demand for key materials used in clean energy technologies grows, so does the need for smarter mine water management. Future strategies are likely to focus on reuse as water becomes scarcer through climate change, and regulations for discharge become tighter. AI modeling and real-time sampling will also enable operators to reduce the quantity of chemical reagents while still maximizing extraction — decreasing costs, improving environmental discharge and increasing revenue. There will be a trend toward natural treatment, especially in large legacy mines where traditional chemical methods are prohibitively expensive. 

Mining operations will always be connected with the economics and implications of water management. By embracing innovative water management strategies, the mining industry can transform its environmental footprint, avoiding harmful discharge and proving that critical resource extraction and responsible stewardship can go hand in hand.  

If you’d like to find out more about mine water management, please check out our industrial water page.

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Once considered beyond the reach of many wastewater treatment plant operators, microgrids are now regularly sought out for their anticipated macro benefits, from protecting against disruptive power outages to extending on-site energy production that reduces local emissions and boosts water reuse efforts.

For officials in Rialto, a city of 100,000 people east of Los Angeles in the United States (U.S.), integrating a microgrid into wastewater treatment plant upgrades is expected to improve resiliency, power facility loads with onsite renewable energy to reduce utility costs and feed excess renewable energy into the public grid.

More cities are evaluating microgrids and distributed energy resources (DERs) for their water utilities in locations facing rising operational risks posed by extreme climate events such as wildfires, more frequent and powerful hurricanes and snowstorms.

Boosting reliability and clean energy management

In Rialto, the city’s interest in pursuing a first-of-its-kind microgrid for wastewater treatment began with concerns about potential environmental damage from discharges posed by a lengthy disruption at the facility. Beyond resiliency, the wider carbon emissions benefits of a biogas-powered microgrid supported by solar and battery storage made sense for the city, which prioritizes environmental stewardship.

The design includes a biogas-fueled 360 kW reciprocating engine, a 1.6 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) system and a 2.5 MWh lithium Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The generating units would provide all the facility’s energy needs, with the microgrid ensuring seamless operations in the event of a power outage.

Tax credits, available federal aid and grants, efficiency gains and the potential sale of extra energy combine to advance the estimated $26 million project on a cost-neutral basis—a critical need in easing any ratepayer burdens.

The cost of a PV system with a BESS unit could be recovered in less than eight years, helping to save $1 million in plant operating costs over 15 years. Once built, the Rialto plant system is expected to reduce CO2 emissions from treatment by about 600 million metric tons annually.

Initial investments can seem daunting. However, our teams have shown that with a long-term view and a clear understanding of potential benefits, microgrids are no longer out of reach, given the real challenges many commercial and industrial sectors and government agencies are facing.

“Our teams have the knowledge, skills and technology to analyze, design and construct microgrids that are not only the best in the world, but are the best for the world.” —   Abinet Eseye, microgrid power systems lead, energy

State of play

The biggest expense for wastewater treatment systems is energy — making up anywhere between 30 percent to 40 percent of costs.

Microgrids — which can work with or independently from public electricity grids — should be pursued as part of a full energy-use strategy as systems scale to meet future demands in water supply. This includes supplementing clean, on-site power generation for more energy-intensive purification applications.

In California, where endless cycles of drought have stretched supplies, the state has promulgated direct potable reuse (DPR) regulations that would allow purified recycled water to be placed directly into a public water system, rather than released into the ocean.

Improving resilience and meeting future needs are important considerations for microgrids. Whatever the benefits, the goal should be to reduce baseline energy use across the entire operation to allow investment to be cost-neutral.

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Our planet faces interconnected crises compounding into the climate and nature emergency. The degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity can potentially destabilize the global economy.

Despite international agreements and targets, many countries still struggle to meet their goals and arrest declines in biodiversity. This shortfall is largely due to insufficient resources and a lack of effective policy and economic drivers. By aligning economic incentives with environmental sustainability, we can drive meaningful change and protect our natural resources.

To move forward from using carbon as a single environmental benchmark, and foster sustainable economies around nature, we need a strategic entry point that leverages the growing momentum in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ambitions among corporations.

We believe that the critical issue is recognizing the value of nature and its natural capital. Traditionally, investments in conservation have been viewed as charitable endeavours, lacking explicit returns or gains for companies. However, to bridge the gap between the natural environment and the commercial world, we need a common ground. This is where data monitoring and the quantification of natural capital can play crucial roles, creating synergy by demonstrating the tangible benefits and returns of conservation efforts.

We aim to establish frameworks that recognize and capitalize the value of natural ecosystems, thereby integrating natural capital with traditional financial systems and fostering economies that are aligned with nature. The Natural Capital Manifesto discusses methodologies for measuring conservation impact, showcase case studies, and outline pathways for integrating these insights into mainstream investment practices.

The method: three steps towards nature investments

The Natural Capital Manifesto outlines three steps that merges conservation, digital and AI technologies, and financial incentives to restore ecosystems. These steps involve:

1. Creating a high-performance ecosystem – Conserving the last remaining high-performing ecosystems is not enough to overturn the nature and climate emergency. Our focus is therefore to restore ecosystems. This involves applying scientific principles to improve ecosystem performance, ensuring that all restoration actions are grounded in robust research and evidence.
2. Natural capital quantification – To quantify the results of restoration and enhancement actions, natural capital accounting will be employed, using five selected performance data points as key performance indicators. Natural capital is defined by a basket of metrics relating to air, water, soil, carbon, and biodiversity.
3. Digital monitoring and display – The monitoring process involves establishing a robust and comprehensive data monitoring system using camera traps, audio recordings, and eDNA. This approach ensures thorough and accurate data collection. The data will then be displayed in a natural capital digital twin with a user-friendly interface, making the information accessible and understandable to all stakeholders, including the public.

Moving towards a balanced future

By integrating natural capital investments in their overall strategy, businesses can create a continuous cycle that benefits both natural and financial capital. Investments in green technologies, sustainable practices and conservation efforts can enhance ESG performance, strengthen brand value and improve business sustainability. With today’s nature emergency calling for urgent action, proactive engagement in conservation is essential in business continuity plans and should be an integral part of strategy to help sustain operations and thrive in the future.

Read the Natural Capital Manifesto here

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A troublesome legacy

Most WWTPs already use a SCADA system in one form or another. Many of these were installed when the plant was first built and since then, the demands on WWTPs have evolved substantially. Far more complex to operate and requiring increasingly stringent permit compliance, legacy technology and systems are struggling to keep up with these changes and often can’t guarantee optimal WWTP operations anymore. Plant operators are faced with one of two paths, depending on the state of their current system:

1. Is there life left in the SCADA system? In which case, operators can incorporate more advanced control strategies and user interface elements to extend its effectiveness and longevity.

Or

2. Is the current technology obsolete? It may be time for a full SCADA replacement.

Another major challenge facing WWTPs is an aging workforce. According to the U.S. EPA, nearly one-third of current operators will be eligible for retirement within the next decade, leaving the industry with a significant loss of institutional knowledge. WWTPs are complex facilities involving a mix of mechanical, electrical, and control systems, alongside chemical and biological processes. Becoming a fully certified operator requires years of specialized training. As veteran operators retire, the shortage of skilled professionals could leave plants understaffed, impacting the ability to monitor and manage operations effectively. The scarcity of recruitment and trained talent though, is a problem that can be overcome with more intuitive tools like SCADA.

No time to waste

SCADA modernization is an important consideration for all providers of wastewater services. There are many challenges and benefits involved in the modernization process, but automated systems like SCADA play an essential role in our wastewater systems by maintaining public health, ensuring compliance and optimizing operations. Like any technology though, it’s only as strong as its weakest point.

Whether starting out on the journey to SCADA replacement or looking to add to existing systems, this is an essential investment in the future. For WWTPs to withstand population growth, aging infrastructure, tighter regulations, and the need to reduce their carbon footprint, they will lean ever more heavily on modern SCADA technology.

Accelerating plant optimization

Combining SCADA advances with those of today’s sensor and process technologies provides WWTPs with a range of areas for operational optimization.
Here are six that will make the greatest difference:

1.Solids retention time (SRT). If the SRT is too long, energy is wasted as the biology in the aeration tanks starts to aerobically digest. If it’s too short, the wastewater won’t be sufficiently treated and will risk permit violations. Wastewater testing is traditionally done manually, perhaps once a day, to check when optimum SRT is reached. SCADA, on the other hand, can deliver ammonia-based control, where sensors continually monitor the residual ammonia, allowing precise control of the SRT for maximum effectiveness.

2.Aeration. Nozzles at the bottom of the tank diffuse oxygen through the liquid to provide an ideal environment for bacteria to break down the organic matter and ammonia. Operators use set points in the control system throughout the tank to measure the dissolved oxygen. These are infrequently reviewed and optimized, often leading to over-aeration of the tank and wasted energy.

Aeration accounts for up to 50 percent of a WWTP’s total energy costs. SCADA can optimize this process using either dynamic-based control (within the SCADA system) or a digital twin (an online model of the biology that can be run to precisely inform the set point). These advanced technologies and sensors can achieve the required levels of effluent organics and ammonia with significant energy savings.

3.Solids dewatering. This process uses mechanical separation with the aid of chemicals so less solids can be trucked off site. The process may involve sensors and traditionally the set point is adjusted manually by looking at the output.

By using new sensor technologies and tuning methods, SCADA can do this pre-emptively. It monitors the dewatering system including the inputs and outputs and machine conditions, and dynamically adjusts the set point. This can save on chemicals, reduce the energy needed to run equipment and lower the weight and costs of hauling.

4.Chemical dosing. Disinfection is typically carried out by adding chlorine – though, sometimes, plants use ultraviolet light. The dosing amount is usually based on the flow rate of the effluent and is often over-dosed for safety. However, new sensors and technology can add information about input quality and use feedback from chlorine residual meters, so you can alter the dose depending on what is needed. This more nuanced system cuts the peaks and troughs of traditional dosing and saves money by reducing the amount of chemicals used.

5.Operator time efficiency. If there’s one thing operators lament regarding control systems, it’s inefficient alarms. At any one time the control room may have dozens of alarms going off. Often, it’s because equipment has been shut off or is out of service, so operators may not address it. However, this can lead to issues where alarms have been ignored and plants have been in overflow conditions, causing permit violations. New technology and advanced algorithms rationalize these alarms, eliminating the wasted time spent working out which alarms need attention and which can be safely ignored.

6.Maintenance schedules. New sensor technology and SCADA systems can enable a shift from periodic, to predictive-based maintenance. For instance, where a pump had traditionally been lubricated every quarter (whether necessary or not), algorithms can spot if that pump is using more energy than it should, making it a candidate for immediate maintenance. Issues can be dealt with before they cause downtime and costly, unnecessary maintenance can be eliminated.

Where could a leading SCADA implementation take WWTPs?

WWTP operators are pulling live and historical data from multiple sources to monitor and control the treatment processes effectively. However, a deluge of data can make it difficult for operators to process effectively. Modern SCADA systems take this data in stride, analyzing it to determine trends that inform enhanced plant operations, and pre-emptively making recommendations on adjustments to ensure there are no operational hiccups.

An optimal SCADA system can:

• Reduce risk to the public, the environment and the plant’s operations and maintenance staff
• Optimize energy efficiency
• Refine chemical dosing
• Complete routine tasks automatically
• Extend asset life through condition monitoring / assessment
• Predict issues and prioritize preventive maintenance
• Enable a safe working environment for operators
• Mitigate workforce challenges by empowering less experienced staff to make informed decisions

Deephams sewage treatment works upgrade is a prime example of SCADA optimization in action. One of London’s largest wastewater treatment plants, Deephams required a major upgrade. We deployed innovative Integrated Fixed Activated Sludge technology that enabled Thames Water to intensify its treatment process, delivering cleaner water without having to expand its site.

We’ve developed the above maturity curve to help those considering SCADA modernization assess where they are currently and where their future efforts can be best placed. With an awareness of the ideal timing for undertaking modernization, WWTP operators and decision-makers can appropriately plan resources and training for this fundamental transformation.

If you’d like to find out more about how SCADA can optimize your WWTP processes, please get in touch with our Digital Water team or the authors Mike Karl and Simon Baker.

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