Water & Wastewater - Texas water market, UK based
Alyss Neville
Principal Consultant, PSR Talent Solutions
Book 30 minutesAlyss recruits engineering and project delivery professionals across Texas' water infrastructure market, covering treatment and process, conveyance and distribution, water resources, stormwater and flood control, and coastal resilience.
Based in the UK and working directly with the Texas market, Alyss specializes in civil engineering and water infrastructure recruitment. She works across US hours and stays close to the market through daily conversations with the people shaping it, from engineers and project managers to business leaders and hiring teams.
Her approach is informed by what is actually happening in the market: where talent is available, who is moving, what people are looking for, how compensation is changing and where hiring is becoming more difficult. The result is a more informed view of the market before a search even begins.
From the market
What Alyss is hearing right now.
$20BN committed, and the first funding window has closed
The money will unlock new treatment facilities, transmission networks, wastewater upgrades and long-term resilience projects. The harder part is finding the people to turn that investment into infrastructure.
Pipeline beats salary in the first conversation
The first thing water resources engineers ask about is project pipeline - what's the backlog, is work already secured, what's coming next. Firms that can answer confidently are winning the talent.
Competition starts before the award
Employers waiting for procurement to complete are all reaching for the same small pool at the same time. The ones hiring ahead of award have the market to themselves.
In her own words
Get the latest insights direct from Alyss.
Texas Water Delivery Brief - August 2026
Funding is only the first step. The delivery challenge is just beginning.
The real question isn't who wins the funding. It's who delivers the work once they are awarded.
- $174BN
- Future investment
- 3,000+
- Recommended projects
- 75
- Current vacancies
- Very High
- Hiring difficulty
Estimated cost of projects in the draft 2027 Texas State Water Plan
Across the state in the draft 2027 State Water Plan
Active job posts for Water Project Manager roles in the Austin MSA
This talent is very hard to hire
Four questions every Texas water employer should be asking right now
- 01
Who leads the work if new projects are awarded?
Winning the project and having the leadership to mobilize it are different things.
- 02
Which client relationships sit with one or two people?
Losing a Senior PM can impact delivery, renewals and future pursuits.
- 03
Are succession plans keeping pace with the pipeline?
Strong Project Engineers don't automatically become client-facing Project Managers.
- 04
Are hiring plans based on future awards or current vacancies?
Waiting for an award may mean competing for the same small talent pool.
The evidence
Delivery leadership snapshot
- 288
- Professionals in talent pool
- 75
- Active job posts
- 30
- Professionals changed jobs recently
- 4.2
- Years median tenure
Where this talent is located
- Central Texas (Austin)42%
- Other Texas33%
- South Texas (San Antonio)16%
- North Texas (DFW)9%
Gender diversity
27%Female
73%Male
Leadership remains heavily male, presenting an opportunity for organizations investing in diverse talent pipelines. Austin MSA, water-related roles.
Client-facing PMs
Client-facing Project Managers continue to command the strongest interest.
Searches are widening
Searches are widening beyond traditional consultancy backgrounds.
Leadership capability
Leadership capability is becoming more valuable than technical expertise alone.
The practical takeaway
The organizations that will secure the strongest delivery teams are not those that wait until projects are awarded. They are the ones identifying and engaging experienced Project Managers months before procurement is complete, ensuring they have access to talent before the wider market begins competing for it.
Figures: PSR Talent Solutions Texas Water Delivery Brief, August 2026. Project and investment figures from the draft 2027 Texas State Water Plan; vacancy, tenure and talent pool figures from Austin MSA labor market data for water-related Project Manager roles.
Talk it through
Ask Alyss what this means for your team.
A direct line to the person working this market every day - salary benchmarks, availability and realistic timescales. No forms, no obligation.
Expertise
Roles Alyss recruits.
- Water & Wastewater Engineers
- Water Resources Engineers
- Hydrology & Hydraulics Engineers
- Treatment Process Engineers
- Civil / Design Engineers
- Project Engineers
- Project Managers
- Senior / Program Managers
- Construction Managers
- Superintendents
- Estimators
- Inspectors
Partnerships
Who she works with.
- Engineering consultancies delivering water, wastewater and water resources design
- Heavy civil, water infrastructure and treatment plant contractors
- Municipalities, water districts and river authorities
- Public agencies and specialist infrastructure organisations delivering flood control, resilience and coastal projects
The backing behind her
A specialist consultant in Texas, with 20+ years of construction recruitment behind her.
PSR Talent Solutions is the US sister company of PSR Solutions in the UK - the same team, the same values and the same infrastructure and processes that built a two-decade reputation in construction, civils and infrastructure recruitment.
- 2005
- Established
- 80+
- People
- Platinum
- Investors in People
- 200,000
- Registered candidates
20+ years as construction and infrastructure recruitment specialists
Specialist consultants and support teams at PSR Solutions in the UK
Awarded Platinum accreditation twice - held for another year running
Backed by a 100,000+ strong professional network
- Investors in People Platinum
- ISO 9001
- ISO 45001
- APSCo
- ConstructionLine Gold
- Cyber Essentials
- Disability Confident Committed
How a search works
Market knowledge is the start. Delivery is the point.
For hiring teams
- 01
Discovery call
A comprehensive call to understand your business, culture and hiring goals, so we are aligned from the outset.
- 02
Role brief and search strategy
A detailed role brief and a tailored search strategy built to attract top-tier talent suited to your organization.
- 03
Curated shortlist
A shortlist of fully screened, high-quality candidates - never a pile of resumes.
- 04
Interview management
The full interview process managed end to end, keeping it smooth and efficient for clients and candidates alike.
- 05
Offer and negotiation
From offer through to negotiation, every stage handled with precision, clear communication and momentum.
- 06
Account management and executive search
Dedicated account management focused on long-term partnership, alongside specialist senior and executive search for leadership hires.
- 07
Honest, high-integrity placements
Fast response times, real market insight and a commitment to the right fit over simply filling the role - including support with corporate social responsibility and ethical hiring initiatives.
What candidates get
- 01
A real conversation first
A proper phone or video chat before anything else - what you want from your next move, not just what your resume says.
- 02
Your resume goes nowhere without your say-so
Confidential roles you will not find posted anywhere, and nothing sent to anyone until you have said yes.
- 03
Walk in prepared
Who you are meeting, what they care about and how to position your experience - so you present with confidence at every stage.
- 04
Backed all the way through the move
Offer, resignation and the counteroffer conversation - someone in your corner right up to day one.
The same care on both sides of the search - which is why the shortlists hold together all the way through to a signed start date.
Want the full Texas water picture?
No pitch and no forms - just a conversation about who is available, what they are being paid and how your hiring plans compare to the market.