Wastewater

Planning, Designing & Supporting Wastewater Systems That Protect Public Health and the Environment

Reliable wastewater systems are essential to protecting public health, preserving water quality, and supporting sustainable community growth. Well-designed systems play a quiet but critical role in safeguarding rivers, streams, and downstream ecosystems that communities depend on every day. Across the Pacific Northwest, RH2 partners with cities, districts, and utilities to plan, design, and support collection, conveyance, and treatment systems that operate reliably behind the scenes. We help our clients and communities adapt to changing regulations, growth pressures, and aging infrastructure.

Our wastewater work spans the full system. From long-range planning and hydraulic modeling to pipelines, pump stations, and treatment facilities. These projects require close coordination with operators, regulators, and the public, along with practical engineering that reflects real-world operating conditions and long-term system stewardship.

All Services

Wastewater Services at a Glance

Comprehensive sewer system planning and capital improvement programs.
Collection system hydraulic modeling and analysis.
Gravity sewer, force main and interceptor design.
Collection system rehabilitation.
Lift stations and pump facilities.
Trenchless and alternative construction methods.
Wastewater treatment planning, design, and permitting.
Regulatory coordination and environmental compliance.
Construction-phase and operational support.

Integrated Teams, Practical Infrastructure

RH2’s wastewater teams bring together engineers, hydraulic modelers, and regulatory specialists who collaborate closely throughout each project. This integrated approach allows our staff to remain involved from early planning through design, construction, and startup, providing continuity for clients and meaningful, applied experience for team members.

By staying engaged across project phases, our teams develop a clear understanding of each system and help utilities navigate technical, regulatory, and operational decisions with confidence.

Bridge over wastewater treatment tank, water processing facility, mountains in background.

Comprehensive Planning & System Modeling

Comprehensive sewer system planning is a core part of RH2’s wastewater practice. Our teams evaluate how systems perform today and how they are expected to change over time, helping utilities develop practical capital improvement programs that support daily operations and long-term investment decisions.

Hydraulic modeling supports this work by helping utilities understand system behavior during peak flows, wet weather, and future growth. These tools allow our teams to identify constraints, evaluate improvement options, and make informed decisions about where and when investments are needed.

Our planning and modeling work helps utilities:

Identify system deficiencies under peak and wet-weather conditions.
Evaluate impacts of growth, inflow and infiltration, and operational changes.
Prioritize capital improvements that are financially and operationally feasible.

Models are developed with long-term usability in mind and can be integrated with mapping and asset data, allowing utilities to continue using them as tools for planning, development review, and system management.

Collection, Conveyance & Constructability

RH2 designs wastewater collection and conveyance systems that balance hydraulic performance, constructability, maintenance considerations, and community impacts. Our professionals evaluate alignments, pipe materials, slopes, depths, and construction methods early in the process to minimize disruption and long-term maintenance needs.

Our collection and conveyance work includes:

Gravity sewers, force mains, and interceptor systems.
Collection system rehabilitation.
Trenchless and alternative construction methods.
Pipelines across a wide range of diameters and materials.
Systems serving established neighborhoods and expanding service areas.

Where appropriate, our teams assess trenchless and alternative construction methods to reduce surface impacts, protect sensitive areas, and maintain access in constrained corridors. These evaluations help clients balance cost, schedule, and community considerations while delivering durable, maintainable infrastructure.

Lift Stations & Pump Facilities

Lift stations are often among the most complex and operationally sensitive components of a wastewater system. RH2 has extensive experience designing and rehabilitating municipal lift stations, addressing challenges related to odor control, pump reliability, maintenance access, noise, safety, and aesthetics.

Our designs emphasize reliability, operator safety, and ease of maintenance. Facilities are developed using detailed 3D modeling to improve coordination, reduce construction conflicts, and help clients and stakeholders clearly understand layouts and operational considerations before construction begins.

Wastewater Treatment & Regulatory Coordination

RH2 supports wastewater treatment projects ranging from targeted improvements to complex facility upgrades and expansions. Our teams assist with planning, predesign, design, permitting, construction observation, and startup, maintaining continuity from concept through operation.

Treatment planning and design efforts emphasize practical solutions that reflect operator experience, regulatory requirements, and long-term system needs. RH2 has extensive experience supporting SEPA and NEPA compliance, coordinating with permitting agencies, and assisting clients with NPDES permitting and renewal processes.

Thinking about Joining Our Team?

Wastewater projects at RH2 are technically challenging, collaborative, and grounded in real-world problem-solving. Team members work alongside experienced mentors on systems that protect public health, improve water quality, and respond to complex regulatory and operational demands. From hydraulic modeling and field investigations to facility design and construction support, our personnel gain experience across the full life cycle of wastewater infrastructure, often tackling challenges that require creativity, judgment, and close coordination with operators and regulators.

Careers at RH2