MELBOURNE, Australia (UI) — Stantec and Jacobs have been selected by Greater Western Water to support a five-year infrastructure planning and delivery program tied to western Melbourne’s rapid growth.

The program will focus on planning, designing and delivering water and sewer infrastructure projects across one of Australia’s fastest-growing regions. Officials said western Melbourne’s population is expected to more than double by 2050, increasing demand on existing utility systems.

The joint venture will provide engineering and advisory services covering water and wastewater systems, treatment plants, dams and groundwater infrastructure. The work will also include construction support, contaminated land investigations and development of engineering standards tied to long-term infrastructure resilience.

Ashok Sukumaran said the program is intended to support sustainable water and sewer infrastructure development as population pressures and climate-related challenges continue increasing across the region.

“Our engineering solutions will help protect Melbourne’s vital water resources by delivering sustainable services in the face of a changing climate and population growth,” Sukumaran said.

Sinead Giblin said the partnership will focus heavily on integrated planning and infrastructure scalability as regional demand grows.

Greater Western Water officials said the long-term program is intended to improve reliability and resilience across the utility’s service territory while supporting future community growth.

The infrastructure initiative will also include local workforce development and engagement with Indigenous-owned businesses as part of the broader delivery strategy.