AECOM's People Spotlight series provides an inside look at the company's technical experts from around the world.

Meet AECOM Principal Engineer, Youvrani Thimmegowda, from the company's Water business in Dublin, Ireland.

Discover how, throughout her AECOM career, Youvrani and her team from the UK, Ireland and India are supporting Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water) in planning large scale water and wastewater projects across Ireland.

Extensive experience in the water sector

Youvrani is an Environmental Engineer with extensive experience working in the UK and Ireland water sector. She is currently the team lead for AECOM's Southern Region Modelling Team working for AECOM's client Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water).

Youvrani is focused on implementing effective review and verification processes to ensure compliance with project specifications, industry standards and client requirements. She is also responsible for management and delivery of projects, as well as engaging with stakeholders like EPA, local authorities and other engineering consultants to understand their perspectives, interests and concerns.

Helping build a better world for the community

Youvrani's passion for water and the environment developed during her childhood. Youvrani explains that her father, who worked as a Chief Officer in the municipal office, often took her to water treatment plants, exposing Youvrani to processes that captivated her imagination.

"My desire and commitment to help build a better world for the community led me to pursue a career as an Environmental Engineer. I firmly believe in Aristotle’s quote, 'Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work' and I am committed to applying this principle in my career," says Youvrani.

"My journey with AECOM continues to evolve as I progress from Senior Engineer to Principal Engineer within the Water team. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with a forward-thinking client, a highly supportive manager and a talented team on a range of water infrastructure projects. With each project, I further develop my leadership and technical skills while driving innovative solutions to complex challenges."

"The collaborative environment has fostered strong relationships, allowing me to contribute meaningfully to the team’s success and growth. I look forward to continuing this rewarding experience and shaping sustainable outcomes in the water sector," adds Youvrani.

Collaborating with a diverse team to improve water quality

Youvrani shares that AECOM is supporting Uisce Éireann (UÉ) with the planning of their water and wastewater capital projects and programmes as part of their Capital Investment Plan and the Growth and Development programme. Youvrani is currently leading Storm Water Overflow (SWO) programme, which is one of the key UÉ programmes.

Youvrani and her team are developing solutions to improve drainage system and water quality by reducing the spill to water bodies. There are various options Youvrani's team has developed, such as sustainable urban drainage systems that use permeable surfaces, green roofs, and soakaways to manage rainwater where it falls, reduce runoff, and prevent overloading drainage networks, surface water separation from combined sewer systems to reduce overflow during heavy rainfall, preventing sewer flooding and spills, and upgrades to increase the capacity of existing sewer systems or introduce separate stormwater sewers to reduce spills to water bodies.

"My team identifies the right options to mitigate flooding and pollution through detailed site assessments, modelling and stakeholder consultations. We analyse local conditions, environmental impacts and cost-effectiveness to select tailored solutions that optimize drainage performance, prevent pollution and protect communities." comments Youvrani.

"This is my favourite project because it has allowed me to collaborate with a diverse team. I am leading a large team with varied backgrounds and expertise, based in Ireland, UK and India. They bring multiple perspectives to the table, which helps to identify complex environmental challenges and develop innovative solutions. This project has provided me an opportunity to work collaboratively with both the client, various stakeholders and a diverse team to deliver high quality modelling solutions that enhance flood management and improve water quality."

Building resilience against flooding

Youvrani's work on the SWO programme has significantly impacted the community by improving water quality and building resilience against flooding. To resolve the overflow issues, it is important to accurately determine the spills via monitoring and surveying of all existing overflows. Under this programme, Youvrani is involved in prioritising the installation of monitors, reviewing telemetry and survey data quality. The real-time data is imperative to accurately predict overflows and enable proactive measures to prevent spills.

"My focus on data quality ensures that the solutions we develop are based on reliable information, leading to more effective and efficient infrastructure improvements. We deliver solutions to ensure that sewer systems are better equipped to manage heavy rainfall and prevent overflows, which in turn protects water bodies from pollution," explains Youvrani.

Youvrani's impactful career advice

Youvrani offers a great piece of career advice which is to find a good mentor, as she says that this is very important for both personal and professional growth.

"They can help you set goals, build confidence and develop new skills. A mentor also offers a broader perspective on your industry and helps expand your professional network," says Youvrani.

"Additionally, their feedback and encouragement can accelerate your learning curve and help you avoid common pitfalls. A good mentor-mentee relationship can be a game-changer in achieving your career goals," Youvrani concludes.

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