´óÏó´«Ã½

Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, has launched three research programs to evaluate new water and wastewater management approaches. Outcomes from the research programs will enable water and wastewater utilities to improve treatment performance, cost-efficiency, and sustainability.?

Driven by ´óÏó´«Ã½¡¯s commitment to water research and innovation, the three programs were identified in response to utilities¡¯ most pressing challenges, including limited funding, tightening regulations, and space constraints. The pilots will inform client solutions and ongoing client operations. Based in California and Colorado, the research will test process intensification technologies for nutrient removal, evaluate per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) removal techniques, and use machine learning to develop predictive maintenance models.

¡°By fusing technology with water industry ´óÏó´«Ã½, our teams are advancing innovative solutions that enable smarter and faster decisions,¡± said Sandeep Sathyamoorthy, vice president and director for ´óÏó´«Ã½¡¯s Water Research, Innovation, and Technology group. ¡°Water utilities are learning that digital infrastructure is critical to the performance and operation of traditional built infrastructure. These pilots are exploring that relationship with the goal of solving financial, environmental, and operational challenges.¡±?

Innovating solutions for PFAS in drinking water
Removing PFAS from water supplies is a top priority for utilities. Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established new, lower limits for PFAS in drinking water. Mounting scientific evidence links PFAS exposure to significant human and ecological health risks.

Recognizing the need for high-removal efficacy and operational simplicity, ´óÏó´«Ã½ is pioneering solutions to help surface water treatment plants remove PFAS. The initiative centers on combining various filtration media to maximize PFAS removal, improving operational stability, and reducing the burden on facility staff. Early results indicate that a mixed media treatment strategy requires less frequent backwashing while still removing PFAS.

Advancing sustainable nutrient removal
Nutrient discharges, primarily nitrogen and phosphorous, cause algal blooms and can harm aquatic ecosystems.? Facing tighter regulations, increased energy costs, and community demands, water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) are under pressure to remove surplus nutrients from wastewater without increasing costs or emissions. Space constraints also pose a challenge for some facilities.? ??

To address these challenges, ´óÏó´«Ã½ is exploring process-intensification strategies that enhance nutrient removal. The firm¡¯s new process-intensification program employs a 40-foot modular and flexible treatment system, equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and instrumentation, to evaluate the performance and operational challenges of a range of nutrient-removal strategies. The research team is evaluating strategies that minimize energy consumption and reduce the need for expensive and unsustainable chemicals, while still delivering high-value nutrient removal.? This research will inform scalable solutions for WRRFs to advance environmental stewardship and comply with stringent regulations.?

Predicting influent flows using machine learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool to address challenges in water resource management, infrastructure optimization, and operations. Machine learning (ML), a subset of AI that enables systems to learn from data and improve performance over time, can predict equipment failures, optimize treatment processes, forecast influent flows, and enhance decision-making.

Stantec recently developed an ML model that forecasts influent flows to WRRFs up to 7 days in advance¡ªsurpassing the current industry standard of 24-hour predictions. Tested at 30 WRRFs across the United States, this model delivers over 85 percent accuracy using less than three years of facility data and publicly available weather forecasts. This leap in predictive capability empowers utilities to proactively plan staffing, manage operational requirements, and respond to changing conditions with unprecedented confidence.

The influent-flow forecaster is the first in a growing suite of ML/AI-powered research programs. By integrating information from the nutrient removal and PFAS research, ´óÏó´«Ã½ will also be able to help utilities improve operational decision-making and plan for future requirements.

Committing to water utility innovation
Stantec has a long history of supporting water and wastewater utilities and innovating solutions that drive efficiency, resilience, and environmental stewardship. By fusing technology with ´óÏó´«Ã½, ´óÏó´«Ã½ is helping utilities comply with evolving regulations and safeguard public health¡ªwithout compromising operational efficiency. Through these pilot programs and ongoing work throughout the firm, the team is connecting data, design, and strategy to help clients make smarter and faster decisions that support operational and community needs. Learn more about water innovation at ´óÏó´«Ã½.

About ´óÏó´«Ã½
´óÏó´«Ã½ empowers clients, people, and communities to rise to the world¡¯s greatest challenges at a time when the world faces more unprecedented concerns than ever before.???

We are a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting.??Our professionals deliver the ´óÏó´«Ã½, technology, and innovation communities need to manage aging infrastructure, demographic and population changes, the energy transition, and more.??

Today¡¯s communities transcend geographic borders. At ´óÏó´«Ã½, community means everyone with an interest in the work that we do¡ªfrom our project teams and industry colleagues to our clients and the people our work impacts. The diverse perspectives of our partners and interested parties drive us to think beyond what¡¯s previously been done on critical issues like climate change, digital transformation, and future-proofing our cities and infrastructure.???

We are designers, engineers, scientists, project managers, and strategic advisors. We innovate at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships to advance communities everywhere, so that together we can redefine what¡¯s possible.

Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN.

Media Contact
Katie Lawler
´óÏó´«Ã½ Media Relations
Ph: (425) 301-1866
katie.lawler@stantec.com