Brown and Caldwell

What Brown and Caldwell does

Brown and Caldwell is a 100% employee-owned engineering consulting firm founded in 1947 and headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, operating as the largest U.S. engineering consultancy solely focused on the environmental sector. The firm employs 2,100-2,400 employee-owners across more than 50 offices in the United States, Canada, and Guam, delivering water supply, wastewater treatment, water reuse, stormwater, and site remediation services to municipal utilities, government agencies, and private sector clients. Its service portfolio is anchored by proprietary branded methodologies including BC:Ntensify® (process intensification), BC:LongView™ (climate resilience), BC:Opta™ (utility optimization), and WaRP (Water Replenishment Prioritization), supplemented by an in-house Treatability Testing Laboratory, pilot demonstration services, and digital twin / AI-ML-enabled smart utility offerings.

The firm's business model is project-based professional services revenue, with custom quote-based pricing on engineering, design, construction management, and program management engagements acquired primarily through enterprise field sales, RFP processes, and long-term municipal client relationships. Distribution is direct, delivered through regional offices staffed by employee-owner teams. Technology is sourced and developed both organically (BC:Ntensify®, first-in-U.S. Flow Reversal Reverse Osmosis deployment at City of Santa Monica Arcadia WTP) and through strategic partnerships such as the 374Water AirSCWO licensing for PFAS biosolids destruction at Cedar Rapids and the Lantern/Microsoft partnership for digital water solutions. Recent strategic activity includes the June 2025 acquisition of SPI (Separation Processes, Inc.) for membrane technology capability, C-suite leadership refreshes in August 2025, and ongoing investment in private sector and data center water segments.

Revenue and detailed financial performance are not publicly disclosed. Based on the 2,100-2,400 employee-owner headcount and typical professional services benchmarks for U.S. environmental engineering firms, estimated annual revenue falls within the $500M-$1B range, though confidence is low given the absence of first-party financial reporting. The firm holds ISO/IEC-style and industry certifications including PSCI Approved Audit Firm status and has earned repeated national recognitions (ASCE OCEA, WEF Project Excellence, WateReuse Excellence in Action, ACEC Engineering Excellence, Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health) reflecting strong reputational standing in the U.S. water sector.

Name

Brown and Caldwell

Legal name

Brown and Caldwell

Website

https://brownandcaldwell.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Brown and Caldwell is a 100% employee-owned U.S. engineering consultancy, founded in 1947, that delivers water, wastewater, reuse, and environmental remediation services to municipal utilities, government agencies, and private sector clients across North America via proprietary methodologies and direct project engagement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Engineering Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAIAD

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Engineering & Technical Consulting

SECONDARYBPAHAJAJ

Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Consulting

SECONDARYEUAIALAI

Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reclamation (Cleanup for Reuse, Risk-Based Closure)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Services (Waste Management, Recycling & Remediation)/Remediation Services (Soil, Groundwater, Sediment)

SECONDARYEUAHAEAD

Brownfield Redevelopment Due Diligence & Grant Support

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Environmental Risk Assessment & Due Diligence (Phase I/II ESA)

Keywords

• Environmental engineering consulting
• Water and wastewater treatment
• Municipal utility infrastructure
• Water reuse and reclamation
• PFAS remediation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Walnut Creek

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices35 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Professional engineering and consulting services for water and environmental infrastructure projects including design, planning, construction management, and program management. Revenue is project-based and recurring through long-term client relationships with municipalities, government agencies, and private industry.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Brown and Caldwell is an engineering consulting firm providing full-service environmental, water, and wastewater infrastructure services including design, planning, construction management, program management, and operations support. The firm sells its own branded methodologies (BC:Ntensify®, BC:LongView™, BC:Opta™, WaRP) and delivers project-based professional services to municipalities, private industry, and government agencies across North America.

Product overview

Brown and Caldwell is an engineering consulting firm specializing in water and environmental solutions. The company operates as a 100% employee-owned organization offering a portfolio of branded methodologies, technology services, and specialized testing capabilities. The core branded products include BC:Opta™ for utility optimization, BC:LongView™ for climate resilience planning, BC:Ntensify® for process intensification in wastewater treatment, and the WaRP (Water Replenishment Prioritization) framework for strategic water management. Supporting these are the Treatability Testing Laboratory and Pilot Demonstrations services that help validate solutions before full-scale implementation. The Digital Twin Readiness Guide, developed with DHI and the SWAN Forum, provides industry-standard guidance for digital twin adoption. The company also provides digital solutions incorporating AI/ML, digital twins, and SCADA systems, alongside traditional engineering services spanning water treatment, wastewater, infrastructure, compliance, and construction management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BC:Opta™: Optimization service offering for water utility optimization
• BC:LongView™
• BC:Ntensify®
• 1Water / One Water
• WaRP

Products and services

• BC:Ntensify® Suite of process intensification solutions for wastewater treatment facilities that increases capacity within existing infrastructure, reduces energy and chemical use, and helps meet stringent nutrient removal limits. Targeted at municipal wastewater utilities.
• BC:LongView™ Climate-informed planning approach for water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects addressing climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience planning. Includes greenhouse gas emissions analysis, flood and sea-level rise adaptation, and strategic water management for utilities and agencies.
• BC:Opta™ Utility optimization approach enabling water utilities to streamline operations, collect and operationalize data, and make informed capital investment and customer service decisions. Targeted at water utility operators seeking data-driven efficiency improvements.
• WaRP (Water Replenishment Prioritization) Data-driven prioritization framework for water replenishment investments that helps utilities, data center operators, and corporate water users identify and rank replenishment opportunities based on cost, impact, and feasibility.
• Treatability Testing Laboratory In-house bench- and pilot-scale testing laboratory that uses 50+ treatment and remediation processes to validate and optimize water, wastewater, reclaimed, and industrial water solutions, reducing design risk before full-scale facility construction.
• Pilot Demonstrations Pilot-scale testing services that confirm innovative water and wastewater treatment technologies through applied research and advance proven outcomes to full-scale implementation for utilities and industrial clients.
• Digital Solutions (Digital Twin, AI/ML, SCADA Integration) Digital water solutions portfolio combining AI/ML analytics, digital twins, smart sensors, SCADA integration, predictive maintenance, and BIM-enabled analytics to help water utilities modernize operations, optimize planning, and improve decision-making.
• Water and Wastewater Engineering Consulting Services Full-service engineering consulting covering water supply and treatment, wastewater and reclamation, water resources and stormwater, compliance and permitting, construction management, infrastructure, integrated project delivery, operations and maintenance, program management, and site investigation/remediation for municipal and private-sector clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• BC:Ntensify® delivered 50% capacity increase, $150K/year energy savings, $300K/year chemical savings, and $32M capital cost savings at Pueblo water reclamation facility
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LanterncoreTechnology or Integration · 23 March 2026Strategic partnership between Brown and Caldwell and Lantern, a data/AI consulting firm with Microsoft Solutions Partner designation. Brown and Caldwell serves as the client-facing integrator while Lantern provides Microsoft-enabled technical capabilities including low-code applications, data platforms, and technical support for water utility digitalization. The partnership has a seven-year history including development of a project management application for the California Department of Water Resources. The collaboration aims to deliver advanced digital solutions for North American water utilities covering workflow modernization, data management, and cybersecurity.
• 374Water Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 December 2025Partnership between Brown and Caldwell, 374Water Inc., and the Cedar Rapids Water Control Pollution Facility to destroy PFAS-contaminated biosolids using 374Water's AirSCWO (Super-Critical Water Oxidation) technology. Project scheduled to begin early Q1 2026 with third-party laboratory validation expected by late Q1/early Q2 2026. Cedar Rapids facility processes 45 million gallons daily and generates 120 tons of sludge per day.
• SPI – Separation Processes Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 30 June 2025Brown and Caldwell acquired SPI (Separation Processes Inc.), a membrane technology consulting firm, to advance water and wastewater treatment solutions. SPI specializes in membrane technologies including reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration, and microfiltration. The acquisition strengthens BC's capabilities in advanced water treatment and membrane separation processes.
• Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Brown and Caldwell partnered with WUCA to deliver nationally applicable climate-informed design strategies for water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. WUCA comprises 12 of the nation's leading water providers. BC's BC:LongView™ approach is aligned with WUCA's mission to help utilities plan, design, and upgrade resilient infrastructure in the face of heat, floods, drought, storms, and sea-level rise.
• The Water Research FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2025Brown and Caldwell received $650,000 from The Water Research Foundation to lead three collaborative research projects focused on climate resilience and sustainability. Projects include developing a greenhouse gas emissions library, advancing nutrient removal processes, and creating a framework for regional brine management, with expected completion between 2026 and 2027.
• Virginia Tech Research LaboratoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrown and Caldwell collaborated with Virginia Tech research laboratory led by Dr. Marc Edwards to conduct extensive corrosion control and bench-scale testing for the City of Camarillo groundwater desalter project. Testing involved pipe coupons from the city's service area to evaluate water blend corrosivity on distribution system plumbing.
• Walsh ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWalsh Construction partnered with Brown and Caldwell as contractor in progressive design-build delivery for the Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility and Arcadia Water Treatment Plant expansion projects in California.
• Calleguas Municipal Water DistrictminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCalleguas Municipal Water District provides the Salinity Management Pipeline connection for the City of Camarillo desalter project, enabling safe conveyance of concentrate (salt removed from groundwater) from the desalter to the Pacific Ocean via Port Hueneme outfall.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Carollo Engineers: Carollo is a privately held, employee-owned engineering firm focused exclusively on water — the closest direct competitor to Brown and Caldwell in terms of business model, customer base (municipal water utilities), and service offering (water/wastewater treatment design, program management). Both firms compete head-to-head on large U.S. water utility RFPs.
• Black & Veatch: Black & Veatch is a global engineering, procurement, and construction firm with a substantial water business serving municipal utilities on treatment, conveyance, and digital water projects. Directly competes with BC on large design-build and program management mandates in the U.S. water sector.
• Hazen and Sawyer: Hazen and Sawyer is an employee-owned environmental engineering firm focused on water and wastewater for municipal clients. Comparable in size, ownership structure (ESOP), and specialization, making it a direct peer for U.S. water utility design and program management engagements.
• Tetra Tech: Tetra Tech is a leading global consulting and engineering firm with deep specialization in water, environment, and sustainable infrastructure — directly competing with Brown and Caldwell on municipal water, PFAS, and climate resilience mandates. Both firms serve the same utility clients with overlapping treatment design, permitting, and digital water offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Stantec is a publicly traded global engineering and design firm with a strong North American water practice. It overlaps with BC on municipal water, wastewater, and environmental services, but operates as a broader multi-disciplinary consulting firm.
• Arcadis: Arcadis is a global design and consultancy firm with water, resilience, and environmental advisory practices serving municipal and industrial clients. It competes with BC on U.S. water strategy, climate resilience, and digital water engagements as part of a broader international portfolio.
• HDR: HDR is an employee-owned global engineering, architecture, and consulting firm with a sizable water business serving municipal utilities. It competes with BC on water/wastewater treatment design and program management as part of a broader transportation, buildings, and healthcare practice.
• WSP Global: WSP is a Canadian-based global engineering consultancy with a sizable water and environment practice following the Wood E&I and Power Engineers acquisitions. It competes with BC on U.S. water mandates as part of a much broader infrastructure and earth sciences portfolio.
• AECOM: AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm with a sizable water business among its broader transportation, environment, and construction services. It competes for large municipal water and environmental mandates alongside much larger-scale design and PMO work.
• Jacobs Solutions: Jacobs is a large, publicly traded professional services firm with a significant Critical Mission Solutions and water portfolio. It competes with BC on major municipal and federal water programs as part of a much broader infrastructure, advanced facilities, and consulting practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brown-and-caldwell
• Xx.com/brwncald

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brown and Caldwell