Water is First in Every System We Engineer

WaterFirst is a multidisciplinary environmental and infrastructure engineering firm specializing in complex civil engineering infrastructure, water, wastewater, and resource management challenges. Serving clients across diverse geographies, we deliver innovative, sustainable, and technically rigorous engineering solutions that support resilient communities, industries, and ecosystems worldwide.

India & USA Civil Engineering Specialists Multidisciplinary Excellence End-to-End Project Delivery

Sustainable Engineering Solutions for Complex Environmental Challenges

WaterFirst delivers integrated engineering and advisory services across the water, wastewater, environmental, and infrastructure sectors. We partner with clients globally to address complex technical, operational, and sustainability challenges through innovative, practical, and future-ready solutions.

Our multidisciplinary team combines expertise in process, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, automation, and environmental engineering to deliver high-performance outcomes across the entire project lifecycle, from strategic planning and feasibility through detailed design, implementation support, and operational optimization.

With extensive experience in water treatment, wastewater management, resource recovery, and environmental protection, we apply advanced engineering methodologies and proven technologies to enhance infrastructure resilience, safeguard public health, protect natural ecosystems, and create long-term value for our clients and communities.

Public health Protection

Engineering safe, reliable, and sustainable systems that support community well-being and operational excellence.

Water Resource Stewardship

Delivering solutions that preserve water quality, promote responsible resource management, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Environmental Sustainability

Balancing infrastructure performance with ecological responsibility to achieve resilient and sustainable environmental outcomes.

Founder

Uma Upadhyay

Uma Upadhyay is the Founder and Managing Director of WaterFirst, with over 20 years of international experience in water, wastewater, environmental, and infrastructure engineering. She has successfully led multidisciplinary projects across North America, the United Kingdom, Australia & New Zealand (ANZ), Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, delivering technically advanced and sustainable solutions for municipal, industrial, and utility-sector clients.

Having worked across diverse regulatory environments, climatic conditions, and stakeholder landscapes, she combines global best practices with practical engineering insight to address complex water and environmental challenges. Under her leadership, WaterFirst has established itself as a trusted engineering partner known for technical excellence, innovation, and client-focused delivery.

IIT Roorkee alumna M.Tech — Environmental Engineering 20+ Years of Global Engineering Experience

Everything water touches, engineered end to end.

Full expertise map

Water Treatment & Supply

Source development, treatment, desalination, storage, transmission, and distribution systems for municipal and industrial applications.

Wastewater Treatment & Reuse

Advanced wastewater treatment, water recycling, nutrient removal, resource recovery, and sustainable reuse solutions.

Industrial Water & Effluent Management

Process water systems, industrial effluent treatment, compliance optimization, and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) solutions.

Biosolids & Resource Recovery

Sludge treatment, stabilization, dewatering, energy recovery, beneficial reuse, and circular economy strategies.

Sewerage & Conveyance Infrastructure

Collection networks, pumping stations, force mains, hydraulic modelling, and wastewater conveyance systems.

Integrated Water Resources Management

Surface water, groundwater, stormwater, water security, resilience planning, and sustainable resource management.

Environmental Restoration & Waterbody Rejuvenation

Lake, river, wetland, and receiving-water restoration programs focused on ecological resilience and environmental stewardship.

Operations, Asset Performance & Digital Solutions

Commissioning, operational support, asset management, process optimization, automation, digital monitoring, and performance improvement.

Integrated Engineering Disciplines. One Global Delivery Platform.

15–35 years of experience per discipline, backed by field interaction and regulatory awareness.Bringing together world-class technical expertise across core engineering disciplines to deliver complex water, wastewater, environmental, and infrastructure projects worldwide.

01 Process engineering Process selection, treatment technology evaluation, mass balance development, process modelling, hydraulic design, and optimization of water and wastewater treatment systems.

02 Mechanical engineering Equipment specification, hydraulic systems, pumping stations, pipeline networks, treatment plant layouts, and mechanical infrastructure design.

03 Electrical engineering Power distribution systems, motor control centers, standby power solutions, drives, energy management, and plant electrical infrastructure.

04 Instrumentation Process instrumentation, online monitoring systems, control philosophies, analytics, performance monitoring, and regulatory compliance reporting.

05 Automation PLC/SCADA systems, digital integration, intelligent process control, remote monitoring, asset performance management, and operational optimization.

Water Treatment Expertise Across Diverse Source Waters

Applying proven and advanced treatment technologies to address varying source water characteristics, regulatory requirements, and operational objectives worldwide.

Seawater & Desalination

Advanced desalination and high-salinity treatment solutions for municipal, industrial, and water security applications in coastal and water-stressed regions.

Surface Water Systems

Treatment of river, reservoir, and lake water sources with process solutions designed to manage seasonal variability, turbidity, and changing water quality conditions.

Groundwater Treatment

Specialized treatment for borehole and aquifer sources, including the removal of naturally occurring and anthropogenic contaminants to meet potable and industrial water standards.

Our Commitment to Delivery Excellence

Schedule Certainty

Disciplined project management, proactive risk mitigation, and efficient execution to achieve predictable and timely project delivery.

Value-Driven Engineering

Optimized technical solutions balancing performance, reliability, sustainability, and whole-of-life cost efficiency.

Client-Centric Collaboration

Close partnership with clients, stakeholders, and project teams to ensure alignment, transparency, and successful project outcomes.

Regulatory & Technical Compliance

Solutions designed in accordance with international standards, local regulations, environmental requirements, and industry best practices.