A View on the Future of Water Resource Recovery: A Q&A with Tim Constantine

Carrying our wastewater solutions and treatment technologies into the future, Tim Constantine recently took on a new role as Jacobs Global Director of Water Resource Recovery Solutions.

Thanks to industrialization and urbanization, the way we manage and even think about wastewater has evolved. While we didn't invent today's modern sewerage systems, we understand that all water is a precious resource and not something we should simply dispose of. What others might still consider waste, we see as a resource. In a capital-constrained and resource-constrained world, this is more important than ever.

Since 2006, Jacobs has been ranked as the No.1 design firm by Engineering News-Record in Sewer/Wastewater Treatment. The key to our longstanding leadership? Our talented global team of water professionals that support our clients every day with innovative solutions that recognize the value of conserving water, optimizing operations and reducing energy and carbon footprint.

In this Q&A, we connect with Tim Constantine, one of the newest global solutions directors on our team, for his thoughts on the trends and technologies advancing wastewater treatment and resource recovery today.

During the first week into your new role as our Global Director of Wastewater Solutions, you rebranded to "Water Resource Recovery." Can you share the why behind this move?

There's a quote I like to reference from environmental advocate, Bucky Fuller: "Pollution is nothing but the resources that we're not harvesting."

Taking this quote and thinking about the influent to our treatment facilities, I strongly believe we should no longer be thinking of it as "waste" water. Rather, this influent is teeming with resources waiting to be recovered, whether it be in the form of heat, carbon (which can subsequently be converted to energy), nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, or even the water itself. So, rather than using an old term, we're using 'water resource recovery'. This subtle distinction helps us both keep an eye toward the future and guide our clients to consider the resources that can be harvested and used in new ways.

What are the biggest opportunities ahead for water resource recovery projects?

Decarbonization is one of the biggest opportunities, as many utilities have already set decarbonization goals, whether federally mandated or on their own volition. Beneficially using the biogas generated at treatment facilities to generate electricity and heat, renewable natural gas, or other upcycled products are the current state-of-the-art to offset GHG emissions. Denmark for example transformed one of its largest water resource recovery facilities (WRRF) from a large electrical power consumer into a net producer of electricity and heat energy capable of serving more than 400,000 people.

We are also assisting some forward looking utilities in the investigation of co-locating hydrogen projects at WRRFs, where reclaimed water is used as a feedstock to generate green hydrogen, and the "waste" oxygen byproduct can be beneficially used to supplement process aeration. It's a truly fascinating and exciting concept!

But resource recovery at WRRFs isn't the only play to move utilities towards net zero carbon. In places like the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and Denmark, where most utilities have set forth ambitious decarbonization goals, it's as much about understanding that the treatment plant itself can be a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through the generation of nitrous oxide (N₂O) during secondary biological treatment and loss of methane (CH₄) to the atmosphere during and after anaerobic digestion. We have been supporting a number of utilities in assessing their current state of process emissions (N₂O and CH₄), while also developing digital and process-based tools to help reduce such emissions.

While we're not seeing a decarbonization boom quite yet in North America, utility partners are beginning to think about getting ahead. So, the opportunity here is only beginning.

The wastewater space is constantly innovating. Where do you see the industry heading?

The past decade has witnessed remarkable advancements in the areas of solids and liquids treatment, driven by innovations in process intensification as well as reducing energy/carbon footprint of WRRF operations. I expect these trends to continue shaping the industry in years to come. In addition, more utilities are embracing digital solutions (i.e., artificial intelligence and machine learning or AI/ML) and, with an expanding track record of successful implementations, AI/ML approaches are poised to define the future of our field.

Residuals processing is one of the more overlooked areas of water resource recovery, with mesophilic anaerobic digestion having served as the industry standard for decades. However, recent advancements-including groundbreaking innovations from our own Jacobs' technologists-are breathing fresh life into the 'solids side' of the industry.

This includes the development of the microbial hydrolysis process (MHP), invented by Global Principal Dave Parry, that can break down recalcitrant cellulosic material, allowing more biogas/methane to be generated while reducing residual sludge mass to be hauled offsite. We're looking at deploying the MHP process at a number of project sites. Todd Williams, our Residuals Resource Recovery Global Principal and sector leader, developed a bio-drying process that can dry a utility's treated biosolids product up to 70% dry solids in a cost efficient manner - thus creating a better product to be beneficially recycled onto land for agricultural purposes. While these are technical solutions, they will deliver real results for our clients, helping them save costs across operations, hauling and land application.

How about you personally - tell us about a career moment you're most proud of.

In the early 2000s, we developed a new technology called a tertiary membrane bioreactor (TMBR) process that I received a U.S. patent for on behalf of Jacobs in 2004. The TMBR had a number of novelties compared to the more traditional membrane bioreactor (MBR) approach, including a low energy footprint compared to traditional MBR-based treatment facilities (i.e., lower overall aeration energy, and greater potential for increase biogas production from anaerobic digestion). Fast forward to today, TMBR is now being seen as a high potential technology for a number of applications, including water reuse. Not all innovations come to fruition or ever become a major piece of sustainable infrastructure, so seeing this innovation being considered for full-scale application is something I'm very proud of. Innovations like these not only push the industry forward and help companies like ours support our clients to deliver critical infrastructure, but also lay the foundation for a more connected, sustainable future in the communities where we live, work and play.