Jacobs Will Build $267M Navajo Water Treatment Plant in N.M.

Funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is now reaching more projects, including a water treatment initiative in New Mexico.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded Jacobs the contract to design and construct the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant in northwest New Mexico, as announced in a press release. Valued at $267 million, the project is set to deliver clean water to over 250,000 people across 43 Navajo chapters.

This plant addresses a persistent challenge of water accessibility in the area, noted Greg Fischer, Jacobs’ vice president of design-build, operations management, and facilities services. The Navajo Nation estimates that more than a third of its households currently rely on hauling water for daily needs, according to the release.

“Critical to improving the living conditions for Navajo communities, in addition to basic drinking water, this plant will provide water for commercial and retail businesses, health care, schools and other facilities,” said Fischer. “Our approach provides the Bureau of Reclamation a more efficient way of delivering critical infrastructure necessary to support clean, reliable, long-term water for this community.”

Jacobs will design and construct the plant to initially treat up to 18.8 million gallons of water per day, with plans to expand its capacity to double that in the future. The project also includes the commissioning of the San Juan Lateral distribution system, along with ongoing operations and maintenance..

The San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant is a key part of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply project. Funded in part by the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund under the IIJA, the project will provide safe drinking water to Navajo communities in Gallup, New Mexico, and Window Rock, Arizona.

Once finished, the facility will divert 37,761 acre-feet of water annually from the San Juan River Basin. Jacobs’ responsibilities include delivering two water treatment plants, nearly 300 miles of pipelines, 19 pumping stations, and multiple storage tanks, as detailed in the release.

Water projects remain a core focus for Jacobs, according to CEO Bob Pragada during the company's latest earnings call. Other recent projects include the Kranji water reclamation plant in Singapore, wastewater treatment facilities in Miami, and ongoing work in Onondaga County, New York.

Initial water deliveries are expected by late 2028, with the entire project slated for completion by the end of 2029.

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