Climate Resiliency Advisory Services and Engineering
Water Resources

Alternative Water Sourcing for Industrial Projects

Rethink your water strategy & expand viable water supply options

Water Resource Assessments, Studies and Consulting Services

our approach to alternative sourcing strategies

Defensible sourcing strategies supporting a viable project development pathway

Potential sources such as municipal effluent, industrial reuse water, mine water, stormwater, and saline groundwater are assessed against seasonal reliability, water quality variability, regulatory acceptance, storage and conveyance requirements, and the treatment duty required for the intended use.

From here, we then compare how each source, or combination of sources, affects infrastructure scope, operating control, and continuity of supply. The resulting sourcing strategy identifies which pathways can support project feasibility and what further validation is required before design advances.

Water Resource Assessments, Studies and Consulting Services
service outcomes

Define viable alternative supply pathways

Alternative water sourcing reduces system exposure by converting contested or uncertain supply conditions into defined sourcing options that can be compared and carried forward with confidence.

Water Resource Assessments, Studies and Consulting Services
sustained performance

Enabling resilient and sustainable water supply strategies

As systems move toward operations, our sourcing definitions can be translated into monitoring requirements, performance indicators, and reporting obligations that reflect availability, quality variability, and dependency conditions.

By providing a consistent reference for interpreting monitored data over time, the model helps operators track performance, identify emerging constraints, and make informed adjustments as operating conditions, demand, or regulatory expectations change.

Water Resource Assessments, Studies and Consulting Services

explore our latest projects

Regulatory Engagement and Liaison Services for Industrial Project Development
Riverbank Filtration Water Intake Design & Installation
Groundwater Monitoring Program Data Review & Optimization Recommendations
Regional Water Conservation Plan
Riverbank Filtration Water Intake Feasibility
Power Generation Infrastructure Development and Equipment
Groundwater Well Installation & Hydrogeological Evaluation
Dam Consequence of Failure
Wastewater Treatment Plant Environmental Impact Study
Resorts and Hospitality Water Infrastructure Development and Equipment
Aquatic Receiving Environment Monitoring Program Design & Execution
Fish Habitat Mapping & Fish Screen Design Specifications

Flow Modelling and Water Availability Assessment for Regional Water Security Planning

Integrated Sustainability completed a hydrological assessment of a 296 km² lake catchment, modelling seasonal flows, water availability, and cumulative withdrawals to support regional water security planning.

Paper & Pulp Mill Water Intake Upgrade to 25,000 m3/d

Integrated Sustainability upgraded a British Columbia pulp and paper water intake using a riverbank filtration (RBF) system, delivering 25,000 m³/d through four vertical wells while improving supply reliability.

Groundwater Monitoring Standard Procedure Development

Integrated Sustainability finalized a groundwater monitoring procedure, standardizing trend evaluation, well classification, quality checks, and reporting requirements across monitored wells.

Long Term Water Conservation Strategy for Rural and Municipal Water Systems

Integrated Sustainability developed a regional water conservation plan across multiple communities, translating water use, infrastructure, and policy data into staged conservation measures and implementation priorities.

60,000 m3/d Water Intake Technology Evaluation

Integrated Sustainability evaluated three sites and multiple intake technologies for a 60,000 m³/d raw water supply, selecting riverbank filtration to reduce in-river construction and simplify approvals.

25, 50, and 100-year event hydrologic modelling review for a solar farm

Integrated Sustainability reviewed hydrologic and drainage modelling for a solar energy development, providing expert witness support on runoff, snowmelt, flood events, and mitigation assumptions.

Aquifer Sourcewater Suitability Assessment Supporting Industrial Operations Expansion

Integrated Sustainability developed and licensed a new groundwater supply well, confirming aquifer capacity and water quality to provide backup supply and replace two aging wells.

Raw Water Reservoir Safety Assessment for a Municipality in British Columbia

Integrated Sustainability completed a Dam Consequence of Failure Classification for a proposed raw water reservoir, assessing downstream impacts to people, infrastructure, and environmental and cultural values.

Environmental Impact Study to Assess Effluent Discharge

Integrated Sustainability completed an Environmental Impact Study for rural wastewater discharge, combining aquatic baseline assessment, dilution modelling, and monitoring design to evaluate receiving water impacts.

Blue Economy Policy Framework & Strategic Action Plan for Barbados

Integrated Sustainability developed Barbados’ Blue Economy policy framework and strategic action plan, aligning energy, fisheries, coastal management, and water resources with climate resilience and economic growth.

Risk Exposure Environment Monitoring for Paper and Pulp Mill Effluent Compliance

Integrated Sustainability developed and executed an aquatic receiving environment monitoring program for a pulp and paper mill, assessing 15 stations to support permit compliance and aquatic health evaluation.

Fish Habitat Assessment and Intake Screen Design for Surface Water Diversions

Integrated Sustainability supported water licence compliance across three diversion points, preparing Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada reviews and assessing intake infrastructure, fish screening, and habitat requirements.
Water Resource Assessments, Studies and Consulting Services

When would alternative sourcing become decision-critical rather than supplementary?

Alternative sources typically become decision-critical where drought exposure, basin caps, or competing demands materially affect supply security and operational uptime. In these contexts, traditional allocations cannot support scale, reliability, or certainty of approval, and alternative sourcing often determines whether a project can proceed, expand, or operate under stress conditions.

How do you assess reuse viability across different regulatory maturity levels?

We assess reuse viability against both current regulatory frameworks and demonstrated regulatory direction. In mature jurisdictions, such as California, this includes alignment with established reuse classifications, monitoring expectations, and permitted use cases. In less mature jurisdictions, including island and water-stressed regions, we assess whether proposed reuse schemes align with likely regulatory evolution rather than relying solely on existing rules.

Isn’t there significant dependency risk where sourcing relies on third-party infrastructure or suppliers?

Dependency risk is evaluated by examining control boundaries, failure modes, contractual enforceability, and monitoring access. We explicitly test how sourcing assumptions hold under partial failure, reduced availability, or changing third-party priorities, rather than assuming uninterrupted access.

How are sourcing options compared when approval pathways and controls differ?

Options are compared using availability ranges, quality requirements, dependency exposure, approval complexity, and controllability rather than nominal yield alone. This allows decision-makers to understand which options are robust under regulatory scrutiny and operational stress, not just technically feasible on paper.

How does this work interface with monitoring and compliance once sources are in use?

Sourcing assumptions are structured so they translate into monitoring requirements, performance indicators, and reporting obligations. Once operational, this enables reliability, quality, and dependency conditions to be verified and managed over time rather than assumed to persist.

Lifecycle Accountability for Industrial Water Assets

Combine deep technical expertise with execution and operational experience

Complex and high-consequence industrial projects require a practical mindset to enable agile development and positive environmental outcomes.

Our vertically integrated water services platform combines science, engineering, equipment fabrication, and operations to provide fit-for-purpose assets that drive accountability and performance.

bg-cta-service

discover an alternative water strategy

Engage with our specialists to understand how alternative water sourcing could support your project.