Jacobs joint venture to deliver major water infrastructure program in Melbourne’s fastest growing region
Jacobs joint venture to deliver major water infrastructure program in Melbourne’s fastest growing region
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Key Terms
integrated project delivery modeltechnical
A team-based approach to planning and building projects where owners, designers, contractors and key suppliers work together from the start, share information, and share risks and rewards. It matters to investors because this cooperative setup can reduce delays and cost overruns, improve quality, and make project outcomes more predictable—similar to an orchestra rehearsing together rather than each musician playing from separate sheets, which can protect timelines and returns.
wastewatermedical
Wastewater is the used water and liquid waste that flows from homes, businesses and factories—everything from sinks and toilets to industrial runoff and process liquids. It matters to investors because collecting, treating and disposing of this water drives costs, regulatory exposure and business opportunities: like a city’s plumbing, failures require costly fixes while upgrades or treatment technologies can create revenue for utilities, construction, and environmental-tech companies.
groundwatermedical
Groundwater is water that sits below the earth’s surface in soil and rock, like a hidden underground reservoir or a sponge filled with water beneath your feet. For investors, it matters because companies can rely on it for operations, and contamination or depletion can create cleanup costs, regulatory fines, or limit project permits—similar to a suddenly drying or polluted tap that drives unexpected expenses and risks to future earnings.
surface watermedical
Water found on the earth’s surface—such as rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, wetlands and reservoirs—rather than underground or in the atmosphere. For investors, surface water matters because it can determine a project’s water supply, trigger environmental permits and cleanup obligations, affect flooding and property value, and create operational or legal risks if contaminated or mismanaged—much like a visible neighborhood waterway that can either be an asset or a liability for nearby properties.
contaminated landtechnical
Contaminated land is property where soil, groundwater, or buildings are polluted by hazardous substances such as industrial chemicals, heavy metals, or oil, making the site unsafe for people, wildlife, or regular use. For investors it matters because cleanup can be costly and slow, reduce property values, limit redevelopment options, and create legal or reputational risks—similar to buying a house that needs expensive, hidden repairs.
desalination planttechnical
A desalination plant is an industrial facility that removes salt and other minerals from seawater or brackish water to produce fresh water people and businesses can use. Investors care because these plants turn a natural resource into a saleable commodity with ongoing revenue and predictable operating costs, much like a utility or toll bridge: capital-intensive to build but potentially steady income if demand, pricing, regulation, and energy costs are favorable.
wastewater projectsmedical
Wastewater projects are construction, upgrade and maintenance efforts for the systems that collect, treat and safely dispose of used water from homes, businesses and factories. Investors care because these projects involve long-term contracts, steady utility fees, regulatory mandates and large public or private spending; like repairing a city's plumbing, they can drive predictable revenue, require big upfront capital and affect environmental and compliance risk for companies involved.
Greater Western Water’s infrastructure program to deliver significant water resiliency and community outcomes
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Jacobs (NYSE: J), in joint venture with Stantec, has been appointed as engineering services partner for Greater Western Water’s five-year Infrastructure Planning and Delivery Program. The joint venture will support the planning, design and delivery of critical water infrastructure across Melbourne’s rapidly growing western region.
Greater Western Water provides services to more than 580,000 customers across a 3,700-square-kilometer (1,429-square-mile) area.
The five-year appointment will support Greater Western Water’s broader capital investment program planned over the next decade through a new integrated project delivery model designed to improve collaboration, efficiency and long-term outcomes for customers and communities.
Working alongside its program partners, the joint venture will provide engineering and advisory services including options assessment and functional and detailed design for water and wastewater networks, treatment plants and dams. Additional services may include groundwater and surface water assessments, discharge quality analysis, construction-phase support, contaminated land investigations, and development of engineering standards.
Jacobs Executive Vice President Sinead Giblin said: “Rapid population growth across Melbourne’s western region requires water infrastructure that can scale efficiently and reliably. By working closely with Greater Western Water and the program teams, we’re bringing together integrated planning, technical expertise and innovation to support sustainable, resilient water networks and treatment systems that serve communities now and into the future.”
Greater Western Water’s General Manager of Asset Planning and Delivery Ian Burton said: “This partnership plays an important role in shaping how we plan and design infrastructure, bringing strong expertise to support projects across our service area. We look forward to working together to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our customers and communities with water and sewerage services that are safe, consistent and resilient.”
Stantec Australia Country Leader Ashok Sukumaran said: “This program reflects our team’s deep expertise delivering water and sewer infrastructure that strengthen essential services for the communities we serve. Our engineering solutions will protect Melbourne’s vital water resources by delivering sustainable services in the face of a changing climate and population growth. We look forward to continuing our longstanding relationship with Greater Western Water.”
Beyond infrastructure delivery, the program will also support broader social and community outcomes, including social procurement initiatives, engagement with Indigenous-owned businesses and employment pathways for local job seekers and graduates.
The appointment builds on Jacobs’ existing role as Greater Western Water’s engineering and delivery partner for the past eight years.
Ranked as No.2 in Program Management by Engineering News-Record, Jacobs delivers complex and challenging infrastructure and transformation programs around the world. In the water sector, Jacobs has been delivering several notable projects across the region, including the transformative Upper South Creek Networks Program in Sydney; the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant supporting climate-resilient water supply in Western Australia; the Central Interceptor, one of New Zealand's largest wastewater projects, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board water infrastructure program in India; and Singapore’s Tuas Water Reclamation Plant, a key part of the nation’s long-term water resilience strategy.
About Jacobs
At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow – delivering outcomes and solutions for the world’s most complex challenges. With approximately $12 billion in annual revenue and a talent force of approximately 47,000, we provide end-to-end services in advanced manufacturing, cities & places, energy, environmental, life sciences, transportation and water. From advisory and consulting, feasibility, planning, design, program and lifecycle management, we’re creating a more connected and sustainable world. See how at jacobs.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Facebook.
Jacobs employs more than 2,600 people across Australia, operating from 13 offices. Working with the Australian public and private sectors, Jacobs helps shape and deliver the nation’s most critical infrastructure, energy, environmental and community programs — creating social value by improving resilience, driving economic growth and enhancing quality of life.
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not directly relate to any historical or current fact. When used herein, words such as "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "plans," "intends," "future," "will," "would," "could," "can," "may," and similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations, as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, uncertainties as to, the timing of the award of projects and funding and potential changes to the amounts provided for under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other legislation and executive orders related to governmental spending, including any directive to federal agencies to reduce federal spending or the size of the federal workforce, and changes in U.S. or foreign tax laws, including the tax legislation enacted in the U.S. in July 2025, statutes, rules, regulations or ordinances, including the impact of, and changes to tariffs and retaliatory tariffs or trade policies, that may adversely impact our future financial positions or results of operations, as well as general economic conditions, including inflation and the actions taken by monetary authorities in response to inflation, changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, changes in capital markets, the possibility of a recession or economic downturn, and increased uncertainty and risks, including policy risks and potential civil unrest, relating to the outcome of elections across our key markets and elevated geopolitical tension and conflicts, among others. For a description of these and additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements, see our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is not under any duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results, except as required by applicable law.
