Build a career protecting America's water

From clean water and flood protection to coastal resilience, our US water team is growing fast. Come and do work that matters, on the projects communities depend on.

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Water at AtkinsRéalis, in the US

Water is our planet's most precious resource, and protecting it is one of the defining challenges of our time. Across the United States, our water team helps utilities, agencies and communities safeguard water quality, manage flood risk, and build resilience that lasts.

We combine deep water expertise with local insight and cross-industry experience, drawing on knowledge from transportation, power, renewables, environmental services, and other sectors to solve problems others cannot. Using advanced digital tools, we turn vast amounts of data into clear, confident decisions for our clients. Whether we support a single project stage or manage the full life cycle of an asset, we tailor our approach to what each community needs.

As our US water business grows, so does the opportunity to grow with us. You will work on projects that matter, alongside specialists across engineering, digital, environmental science and program management, with the room to build the career you want.

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Why join US Water

From coastal water quality in Florida to flood control in Texas and Nevada, our work spans wastewater, flood risk, coastal resilience, water resources and the digital tools behind them. Whatever your discipline, you will find variety that keeps you learning and work that protects real communities.

What makes our team different is how we connect technical water engineering with digital tools to develop data-driven solutions. Process modeling, GIS, digital twins and AI are not add-ons here, they are how we work. You get the scale of a global company with the feel of a close team you can always call on.

Your career here is what you make of it. With strong development support, help toward professional accreditation, and exposure to different clients, project stages and unique challenges, there is room to deepen your expertise or move into new areas, from technical specialist to project leadership.

Our projects

Old Tampa Bay Water Quality Improvement, Florida

Florida's Department of Transportation faced high costs for stormwater management in Tampa Bay, where traditional methods meant demolishing property to build detention ponds. Our team ran an ecological feasibility study and built a hydrodynamic model, then proposed a new channel through the Courtney Campbell Causeway to restore natural circulation, stabilize salinity and lower nitrogen levels.

The approach delivered water quality and seagrass restoration equivalent to more than 200 traditional detention ponds. A comprehensive monitoring system and a new water quality credit bank followed, offsetting around $50 million in future costs and setting new standards for stormwater management.

$50 million in future costs offset

Client: Florida Department of Transportation

Status: Ongoing

Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant, Baltimore

Back River serves a vast area with 3,100 miles of service pipes across 390 square miles. Aging infrastructure had led to discharge issues that exceeded permit limits, prompting the City of Baltimore to seek urgent solutions to protect compliance and the environment.

In 2022 our team built a BioWin process model to assess and optimize plant performance, then created a digital model and web-based interface for real-time monitoring, delivered in two months. Beyond the immediate fix, it gave the City a foundation for building future efficiency and resilience.

3,100 miles of service pipes | 390 square mile service area

Client: City of Baltimore

Status: Completed 2022

Harris County Flood Control District Asset Management Program, Texas

After the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, Harris County approved $2.5 billion in bonds for flood damage reduction and needed a comprehensive asset management program to invest it well. We were appointed to transform how the District operates, maintains and invests in flood infrastructure.

Our multi-year, multi-step approach follows ISO 55000 standards and performance-driven budgeting based on asset condition over time. Lifecycle cost modeling assessed $1.1 billion of assets over a 100-year horizon, with future phases delivering a Strategic Asset Management Plan to protect Houston-area communities.

$2.5 billion in bonds | $1.1 billion of assets modeled over 100 years

Client: Harris County Flood Control District

Status: Ongoing

Las Vegas Valley Flood Control Master Plan, Nevada

Some of the most severe flash floods occur in the desert. We have led consultant updates to the Clark County Regional Flood Control District's master plan since 1997, reviewed every five years and continuously updated to keep pace with growth and development.

Our work includes a hydrologic model covering more than 1,500 square miles to define accurate 100-year peak flows and volumes, plus an Arc hydro geodatabase and a custom suite of GIS tools for continuous updates.

1,500 square mile hydrologic model

Client: Clark County Regional Flood Control District

Status: Ongoing

Las Vegas Wash Channel Improvements, Nevada

The Clark County Water Reclamation District, the largest wastewater agency in Nevada, faced regular flooding that jeopardized operations and threatened a critical access road. We addressed this by developing pre- and post-project hydraulic models using 1D and 2D techniques, with sediment transport analysis.

Our team designed 1,100 feet of new utilities crossing the wash and used recycled steel girders for a new 200-foot bridge to reduce cost. The work improved floodwater management, protected utilities, and reclaimed 40 acres of land, securing long-term operational stability.

1,100 feet of new utilities | 40 acres of land reclaimed

Client: Clark County Water Reclamation District

Status: Completed 2018

DC Water Program Management, Washington DC

In a joint venture with Stantec, the Water Smart Alliance was appointed by the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority to manage its water program. DC Water serves millions of residents and visitors across the capital region, operating more than 1,300 miles of pipes.

Over a five-year contract, our team is helping DC Water refine and optimize a capital improvement plan valued at more than $2 billion, using data analytics, collaborative delivery and enterprise-wide asset management to renew aging infrastructure and strengthen water supply resilience for the nation's capital.

$43 million contract | $2 billion+ capital plan | 1,300 miles of pipes

Client: District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water)

Collaborator: Stantec, joint venture

Status: 2024 to 2029

Where you fit: our water disciplines

Our US water team brings together the capabilities that sit where strategy, science, engineering, digital and delivery meet. Whatever your background, you will be part of a team that values specialist expertise and connected thinking.

This team modernizes treatment plants and utilities, bringing legacy infrastructure into the digital age through process modeling, digital twins and real-time monitoring, while keeping compliance and the environment central.