Jacobs has been selected by the Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department (WASD) in the US state of Florida to design upgrades for the county's three wastewater treatment plants.  

This initiative is set to enhance services for nearly 2.4 million residents and thousands of visitors the county receives annually. 

Under a six-year professional services agreement, Jacobs will lead efforts to modernise the aging infrastructure of the wastewater treatment facilities.  

The focus will be on improving operational performance, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and bolstering the system's overall resilience. 

Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department director Roy Coley said: “These critical projects will allow the Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department to ensure that our wastewater system keeps pace with the dynamic growth of Miami-Dade County and affords a resilient and robust infrastructure to protect the health and safety of our residents and visitors for decades to come.” 

Jacobs' role will include the integration of Intelligent O&M, a component of its Digital OneWater solutions, into WASD's operations.  

This technology is designed to facilitate informed decision-making and drive efficiencies, with the aim of reducing treatment costs and optimising the use of operational labour. 

Jacobs senior vice president Ron Williams said: “As climate change intensifies, maintaining the aging wastewater system in Miami-Dade County is an increasingly complex challenge requiring creative, integrated and holistic solutions. 

“Leveraging our digital solutions, we'll help Miami-Dade County optimise opportunities to reduce capital, operating and maintenance costs for a smarter, more reliable treatment system for the future.” 

The collaboration between Jacobs and Miami-Dade County is built on a longstanding 50-year relationship.  

Jacobs was previously involved with the county's water management systems. 

It also acted as the owner's representative for the $2.7bn Ocean Outfall Legislation Programme and provided engineering services for the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

Jacobs has also contributed to the professional development of the county's workforce. 

In addition, the company’s trainers have provided operator training to Miami-Dade County staff to help renew their water and wastewater licensure. 

Last month, Jacobs was selected to deliver design-build services for the SR 207 water reclamation facility (WRF) in the US state.  

This development is said to be St Johns County’s largest capital improvement project to date.