Modernizing Aging Water Systems with Digital Solutions

Applying digital solutions to complex water challenges

​​​Can you describe your role and how the digital systems group fits into Tetra Tech’s overall services?

Tetra Tech employs more than 25,000 people worldwide, and while we cover a broad spectrum—engineering, permitting, geotechnical, environmental services—our digital systems group zeroes in on process automation and data. We support municipal customers across the country with planning, budgeting, roadmapping, and then actually building, deploying, and commissioning advanced process control systems. That includes programmable logic controllers (PLC), SCADA, data historians, and business analytic platforms—all under 24/7 operational support. Essentially, it’s full lifecycle digital integration for municipal water systems.

Who are your primary clients?

Roughly 90 percent is municipal, state, and local—very close to the communities they serve. We also work with some large state water projects like the Central Arizona Project and California Department of Water Resources. Industrial water makes up the remaining roughly 10 percent, with sectors like semiconductors investing heavily in reuse to reach zero discharge and avoid permitting challenges.

Out West, water scarcity and reuse are top of mind. How is technology being applied to make direct potable reuse both viable and publicly acceptable?

Here in California and the west, water resiliency is the big theme. Direct potable reuse is now viable: taking treated wastewater to a level where it can go straight back into the distribution system. Naturally, people ask, is this safe? Technology is what makes it safe—advanced treatment, monitoring, and compliance—but it’s also about communication. Transparency through data collection, reporting, and public-facing dashboards is key to building trust.

Delivering smart solutions for modernizing water systems

How do you engage with clients once systems are in place?

Our role is to keep digital systems online. If a PLC or SCADA server fails, our team gets the call. We provide the technical backup to ensure operators can stay focused on running their plants, while we keep the technology functioning.

We’ve heard a lot about data centers. How are you approaching them?

The Tetra Tech High Performance Buildings Group leads most of our data center work, but our digital systems group is also increasingly involved. Data centers are sophisticated buyers who want cutting-edge energy and water management systems. For us, it’s a natural extension of the same technologies we apply in municipal systems—automation, data capture, and analytics—just in a more rapidly expanding environment.

Share an example of a project that demonstrates modernization’s value?

The West Basin Municipal Water District in Carson, California, is a great example. They were operating on antiquated distributed control system infrastructure that was difficult to maintain and support. We’re leading them through a modernization project, selecting new technology, digitizing plant information, and incorporating advanced controls, including the ability for predictive artificial intelligence (AI)-based control. Across multiple plants, they have about 10,000 input/output (I/O) points—pumps, valves, analyzers—all being integrated into a system that will provide real-time and predictive insights. It’s a multiyear process, but the end result will be a world-class, AI-ready smart water automation system.

Improving utility systems with data and emerging technologies

How are utilities using data and automation to improve efficiency and reduce costs?

Energy, chemicals, and labor are the top costs. With better data, utilities can run closer to regulatory limits safely, reducing chemical use and costs. And with fewer operators entering the field, automation is key to running plants with fewer people.

How far along are utilities in their digital transformation, and where is the industry heading?

As recently as just a year or so ago, it was mostly the top 200 large utilities. Now Tier B and C utilities are budgeting for digital projects. We are seeing momentum shift down to smaller systems, but overall, we’re still in early stages. Most utilities are connected, but few are optimized. Huge opportunity remains to leverage data for improved return on investment.

Supporting talent development in a rapidly evolving field

As the demand for digital water systems grows, so does the need for skilled professionals to build and maintain them.

You mentioned joining Tetra Tech through acquisition. How has being part of a larger firm changed your strategy and capabilities?

We were a 40-person integrator when acquired five years ago; now we’re more than 1,000 in the digital systems group alone. Being part of Tetra Tech has expanded our reach and allowed us to partner with other in-house teams, like commissioning, data center specialists, and U.S. federal market experts. Our average project size has grown significantly, and we’re now playing a leading role in delivering comprehensive solutions at scale and across a broader global geography.

Where do you find talent to keep pace with growth? Are graduates coming in prepared for digital water?

Recruiting is a mix—college graduates from chemical, mechanical, and electrical engineering programs, plus acquisitions. We’ve built strong training programs to get new hires field-ready. Universities are doing well, but honestly, our new graduates’ self-learning abilities are remarkable. Many of our junior staff are driving innovative solutions because they’re comfortable teaching themselves new technologies. Combined with structured on-the-job training, they hit the ground running.