Jacobs Powers Innovation in U.K. Water Sector with Three Ofwat Breakthrough Project Wins

LONDON, June 2025 – Jacobs (NYSE: J), a global leader in sustainable engineering solutions, is proud to announce that three projects featuring its proprietary technologies and expertise have been awarded top honors in the fifth Water Breakthrough Challenge, a competitive innovation fund organized by Ofwat and delivered by Challenge Works, Arup, and Isle Utilities.

The winning projects focus on some of the most pressing challenges in the water sector—tackling emerging contaminants, supporting net-zero goals, and enhancing resilience and sustainability in infrastructure. They also underscore the real-world impact of collaborative innovation between Jacobs and the U.K.’s leading utilities, academic institutions, and technology providers.

🔹 PyroPlas: Transforming Waste into Sustainable Fuel

The PyroPlas project, led by Severn Trent, aims to convert wastewater sludge into sustainable aviation and marine fuels while eliminating pollutants like PFAS and microplastics. Jacobs contributes its Dune low-energy drying technology, which reduces energy input before pyrolysis and maximizes fuel recovery from sludge.

Key collaborators include Durham University, Hybrid Gasification, and multiple water utilities. Funded with £11.1 million ($15.1 million), the system will run at full scale for a year, with plasma technologies tested at lab scale.

🔹 Next-Gen Digestion: Maximizing Biogas Through Microbial Hydrolysis

The Next-Gen Digestion project brings Jacobs’ Microbial Hydrolysis technology to full-scale deployment at United Utilities’ Leigh site in North West England. The solution enhances anaerobic digestion efficiency, boosts biogas yields, and reduces waste volume.

This world-first application is supported by Cranfield University, Imperial College London, and several other major utilities, with £5.7 million ($7.6 million) in funding from Ofwat. It also explores using recovered cellulose to contribute to net-zero energy targets.

🔹 Metagenomics – Making Microbes Matter

This first-of-its-kind initiative deploys advanced molecular biology tools to understand and optimize microbial processes in wastewater treatment. Jacobs contributes critical nitrous oxide emissions expertise and process engineering.

Led by United Utilities, and involving Newcastle University, Anglian Water, and others, the £1.4 million ($1.9 million) project will correlate molecular data with treatment and emissions outcomes across four technical workstreams.

💬 Industry Leadership

“These breakthrough wins underscore Jacobs’ commitment to decarbonization, digital innovation, and long-term value creation for our clients and communities,” said Amy Bentley, Jacobs’ Head of Water and Environment, Europe.

“More than just technology, these projects are about collaboration—true knowledge-sharing across utilities, academia, and industry.”

🌍 A Blueprint for Global Resilience

Together, PyroPlas, Next-Gen Digestion, and Metagenomics embody a new frontier for sustainable water management. These technologies not only contribute to the U.K.’s environmental targets but offer scalable, exportable models for water systems worldwide.