Carollo Engineers
Carollo Engineers is a U.S.-based, employee-owned environmental engineering consulting firm (founded 1933, ENR No. 1 in water) that plans, designs, and manages construction of water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater infrastructure for municipal utilities, government agencies, and select industrial clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1933
- HeadquartersWalnut Creek, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Carollo Engineers does
Carollo Engineers is a U.S.-based, privately held (ESOP-owned) environmental engineering consulting firm founded in 1933 and headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. It is the largest water-only consulting firm in the U.S., ranked No. 1 by Engineering News-Record (2024) among firms specializing in water, with 513+ dedicated professionals and 15,000+ projects delivered nationwide. The firm plans, designs, and manages construction of municipal drinking water, wastewater, water reuse, and stormwater infrastructure for public-sector clients, with a growing industrial/private-sector practice.
The firm's core offerings combine full-lifecycle engineering services with proprietary technology products. Engineering services span planning, design, construction management, program/owner advisory, asset management, and operations support. Proprietary technology includes the Blue Plan-it® decision-support platform (Monte Carlo simulation, multi-objective optimization, genetic algorithms), the Water ARC® applied research center in Boise (8,900 sq ft of bench/pilot/demonstration facilities), patent-pending XBAT ion-exchange treatment technology, I-FLOAT off-gas testing, EPIC® electrical/instrumentation/SCADA services, and the CarolloDIGITAL digital-water suite. R&D output includes 6 process patents (3 pending), 170+ applied research projects over 5 years, and $25M of funded R&D over 7 years.
Carollo generates revenue primarily through professional-services fees under project-based contracts with municipal and government water utilities, procured via qualifications-based selection and competitive bidding. Contract values range from planning studies to multi-year, multi-hundred-million-dollar construction management and program management engagements (e.g., $330M Medford, $210M Ophir, $200M OneWater Nevada). The firm also pursues non-dilutive public funding (EPA WIFIA, DOE) and engages in research partnerships with ASU, Colorado School of Mines, and technology licensors such as PWNT. Distribution is direct enterprise sales to public agencies, supplemented by industry thought leadership (Currents magazine, technical publications, conferences) and a national office footprint spanning California, the Pacific Northwest, the Mountain West, the Southwest, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Southeast.
Carollo Engineers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Carollo Engineers
- Legal name
- Carollo Engineers, Inc.
- Website
- https://carollo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1933
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Carollo Engineers is a U.S.-based, employee-owned environmental engineering consulting firm (founded 1933, ENR No. 1 in water) that plans, designs, and manages construction of water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater infrastructure for municipal utilities, government agencies, and select industrial clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Carollo Engineers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water and Wastewater Engineering Consulting
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (54133), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight) (EUANALAE), Maintenance & Reliability (RCM, Work Management, Spares) (EUANALAH), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)
Keywords
Where Carollo Engineers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Walnut Creek
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Carollo Engineers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Engineering Consulting and Design Services: Professional engineering services for water and wastewater facilities including planning, design, permitting, and construction support. Revenue generated through fee-based consulting contracts with municipal and government clients.
- Construction Management Services: Construction management contracts for water treatment plant and wastewater facility projects. Recent contracts include $210M Ophir Water Treatment Plant (Phase 1) and $200M Advanced Purified Water Facility in Nevada.
- Program Management and Owner Advisory: Owner advisory and program management services for large multi-year water infrastructure programs. Includes project planning, prioritization, procurement, project controls, and engineering/construction oversight.
- PFAS Assessment and Treatment Services: Specialized consulting for PFAS contamination including planning studies, pilot testing, RSSCTs, conceptual designs, and full-scale treatment facility design.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based engineering consulting services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels10 records
Carollo Engineers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Carollo Engineers is a full-service environmental engineering consulting firm that plans, designs, and supports construction of water and wastewater facilities for municipal utilities, sanitation districts, and public agencies. The firm provides drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, water reuse, water infrastructure planning, PFAS treatment, asset management, and construction/program management services, supported by proprietary technologies such as Blue Plan-it®, Water ARC®, XBAT, EPIC®, and CarolloDIGITAL.
Product overview
Carollo Engineers operates as a water-focused engineering consulting firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of services and proprietary technologies for water and wastewater utilities. The core offerings include specialized engineering consulting services (drinking water, wastewater, water reuse, water resources, stormwater management, infrastructure planning, asset management, renewable energy) supported by proprietary technology products including Blue Plan-It® decision support platform, Water ARC® applied research center, EPIC® electrical and control systems, XBAT advanced treatment technology, I-FLOAT off-gas testing, and CarolloDIGITAL solutions. The firm has completed over 15,000 projects nationwide with $1.1B in new construction projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Blue Plan-it: A decision support platform developed by Carollo that combines data management, analytics, integration, and visualization to help utilities plan water and wastewater systems dynamically and transparently.
- Water ARC (Water Applied Research Center)
- CarolloDIGITAL
- EPIC (Electrical, Programming, Instrumentation and Control)
- Water ARC
- XBAT (Ion eXchange-Based Advanced Treatment)
- I-FLOAT (Inflatable Fast and Lightweight Off-Gas Analysis Technology)
- Carollo Cares
- CAMP (Collaborative Accelerated Meeting Process)
- Carollo Research Group (CRG)
Quantifiable outcome
- 40+ billion gallons of reclaimed water produced annually through water reuse projects
- +9 more outcomes
Companies that use Carollo Engineers
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Carollo Engineers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
Carollo Engineers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- CDM SmithcoreCarollo Engineers working in association with CDM Smith to design PFAS treatment upgrades for Broward County, Florida drinking water treatment and transmission infrastructure. Project includes nanofiltration at both water treatment plants and approximately 6 miles of transmission main. This represents one of the largest PFAS treatment efforts in Florida.
- Slayden ConstructorscorePart of consortium delivering $330M Medford, Oregon Regional Water Reclamation Facility overhaul. Slayden serves as constructor alongside engineering partners West Yost, Black & Veatch, and Carollo Engineers.
- West YostcorePart of consortium delivering $330M Medford, Oregon Regional Water Reclamation Facility overhaul. West Yost provides engineering services alongside Slayden Constructors, Black & Veatch, and Carollo Engineers.
- Black & VeatchcorePart of consortium delivering $330M Medford, Oregon Regional Water Reclamation Facility overhaul. Black & Veatch provides engineering expertise alongside Slayden Constructors, West Yost, and Carollo Engineers.
- Water For PeopleminorInternational nonprofit bringing safe water and sanitation to global communities. Carollo has supported Water For People through workplace giving since 2006, with over $1 million donated by company and employees. Carollo sponsors annual Impact Tours for employees to observe Water For People's work in target countries including Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Bolivia, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Tanzania, and India.
- PWNT (Process Water Network Technology)coreLicensor of Suspended Ion Exchange (SIX®) technology used in Carollo's XBAT treatment system. PWNT developed the novel ion exchange process where resin flows through contactors and is separated by plate settlers.
- Arizona State University (ASU)coreResearch partner for PFAS treatment studies. Carollo worked with ASU to conduct 40+ sets of RSSCTs evaluating PFAS removal through carbons and IX resins. ASU also collaborated on developing modified RSSCT methods for IX testing validated against pilot- and full-scale data.
- Colorado School of MinesminorResearch partner working with Carollo to pilot-test innovative UV-bisulfite treatment process to degrade PFAS from nanofiltration concentrate for brine management.
- City of TampaflagshipStrategic partner for world's largest Suspended Ion Exchange (SIX®) system at David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility. Carollo's Water ARC provided full-time design and implementation support for dynamic pilot study. Project will process 140 MGD and serve as key demonstration site for SIX® technology in the U.S.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Carollo Engineers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Black & Veatch: Large engineering, construction, and consulting firm with a prominent water practice spanning treatment plant design, conveyance, and program management. Partnered with Carollo on the $330M Medford Regional Water Reclamation Facility consortium, indicating direct head-to-head bidding on the same marquee U.S. municipal programs.
- CDM Smith: Global engineering and construction firm with a strong water/wastewater practice serving municipal clients on planning, design, and construction management. Partnered with Carollo on Broward County PFAS upgrades, illustrating direct co-bidding on U.S. drinking water programs.
- Hazen and Sawyer: Privately held, pure-play water and wastewater engineering firm competing with Carollo for the same U.S. municipal utility clients across drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and resource recovery projects.
- Brown and Caldwell: Employee-owned consulting firm focused exclusively on water and environmental infrastructure, directly competing with Carollo on planning, design, and construction management services for municipal utilities.
Broad incumbents
- Jacobs Solutions: Large diversified engineering professional services firm with a substantial Critical Mission Solutions and water practice competing for municipal and industrial water/wastewater work as part of a much broader portfolio.
- AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting giant with a dedicated water business pursuing many of the same municipal treatment, conveyance, and program management opportunities as Carollo at federal, state, and local levels.
- Stantec: Canadian-based engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm with a sizable water practice pursuing U.S. municipal and industrial water/wastewater consulting opportunities.
- Tetra Tech: Consulting and engineering firm with deep water, environment, and infrastructure practices serving U.S. utilities on water resource management, treatment, and wastewater projects alongside broader federal and international work.
- HDR Inc. Employee-owned engineering and consulting firm with a meaningful water resources, treatment, and wastewater practice pursuing the same municipal clients and federal water infrastructure programs as Carollo.
- Arcadis: Global design and consultancy with a sizable water and resilience practice, competing for U.S. municipal water and wastewater engineering and program management opportunities as part of a broader environmental portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Carollo Engineers social profiles
Digital presenceCarollo Engineers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Carollo Engineers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles32 records
Carollo Engineers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Carollo Engineers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Carollo Engineers
What does Carollo Engineers do?
Carollo Engineers is a full-service environmental engineering consulting firm that plans, designs, and supports construction of water and wastewater facilities for municipal utilities, sanitation districts, and public agencies. The firm provides drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, water reuse, water infrastructure planning, PFAS treatment, asset management, and construction/program management services, supported by proprietary technologies such as Blue Plan-it®, Water ARC®, XBAT, EPIC®, and CarolloDIGITAL.
Is Carollo Engineers a public or private company?
Carollo Engineers is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Carollo Engineers founded?
Carollo Engineers was founded in 1933. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Carollo Engineers based?
Carollo Engineers is headquartered in Walnut Creek, United States, in the North America region.
How does Carollo Engineers make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Engineering Consulting and Design Services are the primary driver. The others are construction Management Services, program Management and Owner Advisory and PFAS Assessment and Treatment Services.
Who are Carollo Engineers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Black & Veatch, CDM Smith, Hazen and Sawyer and Brown and Caldwell. Broad incumbents are Jacobs Solutions, AECOM, Stantec, Tetra Tech, HDR Inc. and Arcadis.
Does Carollo Engineers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Carollo Engineers.
What industry is Carollo Engineers in?
Carollo Engineers's product category is Water and Wastewater Engineering Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAD, Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting, with a secondary code of EUANALAE, Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight). Its NAICS code is 54133 and its SIC code is 8700.