Two industry veterans have joined forces to launch RS Contracting, a new Scottsdale, Arizona-based general contracting firm focused on building and rehabilitating water and wastewater infrastructure across the state. The firm officially launched on May 16, according to a news release shared with Construction Dive.

Founded by Tim Rockholt and Dennis Sime, the company specializes in a wide range of essential water-related services. These include the design, construction, and upgrading of water and wastewater treatment facilities, pipeline installation and rehabilitation, and the building of pump stations, lift stations, and well sites. RS Contracting also offers expertise in water reclamation, grading, drainage, and utility work—critical infrastructure for a state increasingly strained by water scarcity.

“We launched RS Contracting to create a company rooted in hard work, faith and a commitment to excellence,” said Rockholt in the release. “We are committed to delivering water and wastewater infrastructure solutions that will stand up to Arizona’s harsh conditions.”

A Foundation Built on Experience

Rockholt and Sime bring over two decades of collaboration to their new venture. The two first crossed paths in 2001 while working for Felix Construction, a Phoenix-based water and wastewater contractor. They later partnered to operate ASR Construction Group, a Mesa, Arizona-based firm they ran for five years before launching RS Contracting.

The firm holds both general commercial and general engineering licenses, which enables it to work with a broad range of public and private clients, including municipalities and water utilities. That versatility is expected to position RS Contracting to meet increasing infrastructure demands across Arizona.

Arizona’s Water Crisis Creates High Demand

Arizona’s infrastructure challenges are well-documented. The 2025 Infrastructure Report Card from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) highlights the nation’s crumbling water systems, assigning a “C-” for drinking water, “D+” for wastewater, and “D” for stormwater systems—the same failing grades issued in 2021.

Water issues in Arizona are especially urgent. The state has long grappled with drought and groundwater depletion. Now, the rise of water-intensive industries—particularly data centers driven by the AI boom—is placing additional strain on already-limited resources.

Still, the sector is responding with innovations to curb consumption. As AZ Big Media reports, most new data centers in Arizona now use air-cooled designs that consume no more water than similarly sized industrial buildings. Even so, upgrading and maintaining water infrastructure remains a massive and ongoing need.

“The country’s aging water infrastructure faces burgeoning environmental stressors and new cleanup demands,” the ASCE noted in its report. Despite efforts to improve efficiency, water infrastructure upgrades in Arizona are more vital than ever.

For RS Contracting, these mounting pressures translate into opportunity.

Positioning for Long-Term Growth

As Arizona continues to experience population growth, climate pressure, and rising commercial demand, the need for reliable, future-proof water systems will only intensify. RS Contracting aims to meet that demand through experienced leadership and a deep understanding of the region’s environmental conditions.

With a wide service offering and a commitment to both quality and resilience, the firm is poised to play a key role in shaping the state’s infrastructure for years to come.

Originally reported by Julie Strupp in Construction Dive.