Services we provide
Water Resources
Our water resources are threatened by increased demand, poor land use practices, emerging contaminants, climate-related effects of drought and changes to the hydrologic cycle, aging infrastructure and insufficient investment.
GZA’s engineers and scientists are leaders in watershed management, from the watershed to the tap and back. We offer services over the complete water cycle, ranging from watershed management to water supply exploration, development and conveyance.
Water constitutes 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and 65 percent of the human body. It is an essential natural resource that is currently challenged by increasing demand, deteriorating infrastructure, emerging contaminants and climate change.
GZA has a highly qualified and technically diverse staff that allows us to develop comprehensive and multi-disciplinary water resource solutions.
GZA's water resource expertise and experience starts at the watershed, including watershed best management practices, ecological restoration, and stormwater and wastewater management. It also includes water supply exploration and development, conveyance, storage and treatment. Our expertise includes planning and permitting, geology, civil engineering, ecology, hydrology and hydraulics and numerical modeling.
Our expertise as an Esri value-added partner enables us to provide GIS-based data management for all clients.
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Watersheds cross jurisdictional lines. The sustainable management of watersheds involves multiple stakeholders and requires multi-disciplinary expertise. GZA works with all stakeholders to assess and develop strategies for maintaining the quality of watersheds.
GZA has expertise and experience in watershed management including water quality, water supply, drainage and flooding, and stormwater and wastewater management.
- Watershed Management Planning/EPA 9 Elements
- Land Use Best Management Practices
- Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analysis
- Precipitation, River and Coastal Modeling
- Ecological Restoration
- Pollutant Source Control
- Impaired Waters/TMDLs
- Public Education and Training
- Geographic Information Management
Ecosystem Consulting Service, a division of GZA, works in concert with the natural features of a lake or reservoir ecosystem to diagnose and correct the causes of water quality problems.
Addressing concerns at the source before treatment offers cost-effective methods of improving raw water quality control and increasing treatment method efficiency. We work closely with utilities and municipalities to determine the causes of treatment problems and solutions by reservoir management in concert with the supply infrastructure.
- Water Supply Limnology
- Diagnostic-Feasibility Studies
- Monitoring Programs
- Method and Apparatus Development and Design
- Artificial Circulation
- Hypolimnetic Aeration
- Layer Aeration
- Oxygenation
- Flow Routing
- Off-Grid Technologies
Stormwater includes run-off from precipitation, snow and ice melt. Management of stormwater, including collection, conveyance and treatment is essential to prevent flooding and maintain water quality. Stormwater management challenges include inadequate and aging infrastructure, contamination of groundwater and surface water due to pollutants and nutrient loading and climate-related, increased precipitation event intensity and frequency.
GZA has expertise and experience in all aspects of stormwater management, ranging from hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, infrastructure survey, modeling, design and permitting.
- Stormwater Master Planning
- Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans
- Best Management Practices (BMPs)
- Erosion and Sediment Control Design and Monitoring
- Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) and Low Impact Development (LID)
- Stormwater Infrastructure Inventory Survey and Geospatial Mapping
- Stormwater Infrastructure Design and Numerical Modeling
- Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE)
- NPDES Permit Compliance including MS4, MSGP, RGP and CGP
- Operation & Maintenance Planning & Inspections
- Stormwater System – Modeling, Civil Design, Permitting, and Construction Phase Services
- MS4 Permitting
GZA possesses the full spectrum of technical capabilities required to conduct groundwater supply exploration and development projects in the most complex and challenging hydrogeologic settings.
GZA has a successful history of finding, developing and protecting groundwater aquifers and production wells. We provide turnkey services ranging from exploration to analysis to development and permitting.
- Geologic Mapping
- Exploratory Aquifer Drilling
- Geophysical Surveys
- Watershed Sanitary Surveys
- Watershed Contamination Investigation
- Groundwater Numerical Modeling
- Nitrogen Loading Analysis
- Production Well Construction
- Hydrogeological Assessments
- Production Well Development, Evaluation & Rehabilitation
- Analyses for Aquifer Zone of Contribution and Yield
- Groundwater Monitoring Program
- Withdrawal Permitting
GZA is the leader in providing innovative groundwater protection services, including groundwater yield enhancement programs, that provide water supply solutions to a diverse range of clients.
As a direct result of GZA’s efforts, our clients have routinely saved money, been proactive in mitigating their water supply risks, expanded their strategic water supply options and advantages, and bolstered their sustainability initiatives.
- Aquifer Protection Zone delineation
- Design and Construction of Artificial Recharge (AR) Systems
- Groundwater Yield and Water Quality Monitoring
- Emerging Contaminant (including PFAS) Vulnerability and Impact Assessments
- Numerical Modeling of Groundwater and Surface Water Systems for Resource Management and Optimization
- Drought Mitigation and Management Plans
- Expert Testimony
Water delivery and storage systems, including pumping facilities, aqueducts, transmission and distribution mains, service lines, tanks and reservoirs are critical to customer service and fire-flow protection, yet water supply infrastructure often remains in use beyond its design life, increasing operational disruption and increased cost.
GZA’s approach to water distribution and storage balances long-term repair and replacement costs and system reliability, using an asset-management-based and predictive approach to water main replacement and forward-thinking maintenance programs.
- Master, Asset Management and Regulatory Planning
- Pumping Station Inspection, Testing, Evaluation, Design, Renovation & Upgrades
- Instrumentation, SCADA Design and Controls
- Vulnerability Assessment, Risk & Resiliency, Emergency Response Plans
- Hydrant Fire Flow and Pipe Condition Tests
- System Hydraulic Modeling
- Watermain Rehabilitation & Replacement Designs
- Leak Detection & Repair Programs
- Unidirectional Flushing Program Design and GIS Mapping
Water quality is declining in many areas due to aging infrastructure and inadequate water treatment, resulting in threats to human health and the environment.
GZA has expertise and experience with the design and construction of surface and groundwater treatment systems and regulatory compliance.
- Treatment Bench and Pilot Scale Studies
- Water Quality Evaluations
- Treatment Alternatives, Adequacy & Efficiency Evaluations
- Planning for Future Regulations & Quality
- Regulatory & Environmental Permits
- Filtration and Chemical Treatment Facilities
- Facility Design, Evaluation, Rehabilitation, & Upgrades
- Contaminant Transport Modeling
- Nitrogen Loading Analysis
- Groundwater Monitoring Program
- Piloting, Permitting, Design and Construction-Phase Services
Proper planning and management of water supply systems reduces operational issues, ensures that capital and operational budgets are efficiently spent, assures regulatory compliance, and helps water authorities plan for a complex and uncertain future.
GZA provides water supply system managers with the tools and services to optimize their operations.
- Staffing and Organizational Evaluations
- Energy Conservation Programs
- Water Master Planning, Asset Management Planning, Phased Construction Programs
- Facilities Inspection and Testing
- Regulatory Planning and Permits
- Utility Mapping Systems
- Environmental Assessments
- Cost Opinions, Cost-Benefit Analysis
- Rate Studies
- Water Audits
- Risk/Resilience Assessment & Emergency Response Plans
- Feasibility Studies
- Permitting and Funding Applications
- GIS & Cloud Based Mapping & Maintenance Programs
- Community Relations
- Cross-Connection Control, Water Conservation, & Wellhead Protection Bylaws
- Contract Documents Preparation
- Bidding & Award Support
- Construction Administration
GZA has led the field in successfully permitting newly developed groundwater resources at Local and State levels throughout the Eastern US.
We are also conducting a very substantial number of permit compliance monitoring programs focused on assessing potential impacts of groundwater withdrawals on local groundwater resources, wetlands, and other environmental concerns. The programs are central to determining the long term sustainability of groundwater resources and also serves as a means to provide early warnings to groundwater resources if there is a concern of possible contaminant transport toward the wells.
- Proceeding successfully through the various rigorous State and Local permitting programs to obtain Groundwater withdrawal permits
- Designing and implementing effective short term and long term groundwater and environmental monitoring programs
Assessment of the Availability of Groundwater Resources on a National Scale within the Dominican Republic
Development and Permitting of Artificial Recharge System – Spruce Hole Aquifer, University of New Hampshire/Town of Durham, NH
Route 1 Reinforcing Water Main
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Jay Womack is quoted in this U.S. News and World Report article aimed at homeowners looking to make use of rainwater.
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