Water Transmission and Wastewater Conveyance

Expertise Projects Insights Sectors Services

The types of water transmission and wastewater conveyance tunnels we deliver include drinking water supply transmission and distribution systems, aqueducts, combined sewage overflow (CSO) tunnels and offshore outfalls, and deep shafts in diverse geological conditions.

Water is one of our most important resources, and its transport is a major concern in both the developed and developing world. Water supply surface intakes and subsurface wells, transmission pipeline systems, storage and pump stations, tunnels, aqueducts, and outfall structures, are all major components of the water and wastewater collection and conveyance systems.

Wastewater conveyance systems move storm/wastewater from points of collection to facilities for treatment, followed by distribution, discharge or reuse.

Significant population growth and population concentration in major cities, combined with a better appreciation of environmental issues and protection, demand a better way to provide water and wastewater services. Cities around the world are eager to clean up their waterways and to secure the water supply needed for prosperity and progress of their communities.

WSP offers complete advisory and engineering services for developing water transmission and wastewater conveyance systems, including planning, design, and construction management services. Our experience includes geotechnical investigations and assessments, ground improvement, and tunnelling design, including TBM, SEM, and micro-tunneling, tunnelling in gassy or contaminated ground, and seismic engineering to keep wastewater and water tunnels resilient and operable in the event of earthquakes or other natural disasters.

As the world is confronted with climate-change impacts, WSP provides innovative ways to protect communities during floods, reduce strain on water resources and support water availability.

WSP design team works extensively with the latest technology such as water system modelling, computational fluid dynamics modeling, surge and transient analyses, and digital twins to remotely monitor and optimize work activities and perfect schematics in virtual reality. Such an innovative and proactive approach allows rectify problems before ground is broken and reduce the likelihood of surprises arising during construction that could cause delays, extra costs or damage to surrounding structures.

Other challenges that we have overcome

Saudi Arabia

Transforming Flood Risks into Resilience

With people-centred engineering, the Jeddah Storm Water Program (JSWP) is more than an infrastructure initiative. It’s a transformative effort to protect lives, build resilience, and shape a more secure future for the people of Jeddah.

Washington, DC, USA

First Street Tunnel

During a storm event, the First Street Tunnel will store up to 30.3 million liters of combined sewer overflow in its 853 meters of tunnel and 4 shafts, preventing flooding in Bloomingdale and Le Droit Park.

Portland, Oregon, USA

East Side and West Side CSO Tunnels

The complex and highly successful combined sewer overflow (CSO) tunnel projects were key infrastructure components of the City of Portland, Oregon’s efforts to improve the water quality of the Willamette River.

New York, USA

Bay Park Conveyance Project

The project will help improve the water quality and coastal environment within the Western Bays of Long Island by upgrading existing wastewater management infrastructure.

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Missouri, USA

Lower Meramec Tunnel Project

The 6.8-mile-long tunnel project — the largest ever for Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) — will improve water quality within the Meramec River watershed and help ensure regulatory compliance.