Achieving success on complex water programs
Water agencies across the globe face the challenge of delivering complex capital programs to provide, improve and replace key public service delivery systems. Our experts share their learnings on meeting this global challenge, and what it takes to realize large-scale water programs.
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 $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.
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.
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, $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.
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.
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.
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.
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.