First Place SJWP Winner from Houston, Texas

Official Publication of the Water Environment Association of Texas

July 2007Volume 24 Issue 4

Plus . . .• Houston-Area Student Wins 2007 SJWP Competition• WEAT Committees Accepting New Members• All Things YP• Water Security DVD/Video• Biosolids Management & Odor and

Corrosion Control Conference and Exposition• Tech Talk

Sanitary/Environmental Engineering Historyof The University of Texas at Austin and Impact of Graduates and Faculty on the WaterEnvironment in TexasActivated Sludge Plant Field and Model Evaluation

First PlaceSJWP Winner

from Houston,Texas

July 2007 Texas WET 3

Regular Features

A Message from the President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Highlights from the Executive Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

A Message from the Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

WEAT Section Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

WET Tech Talk

Sanitary/Environmental Engineering History of The University of Texas at Austin and Impact of Graduates and Faculty on the Water Environment in Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Activated Sludge Plant Field and Model Evaluation .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

All Things YP .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Professional Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

WEAT Mission Statement, Officers and Committees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Special Features

Houston-Area Student Wins 2007 SJWP Competition! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

‘Water Security—An Operator’s Perspective’ DVD/Video .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

WEAT Committees Accepting New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Biosolids Management & Odor and Corrosion Control Conference and Exhibition .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

2008 WEAT and WEF Awards State-Level Nominations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

On the Cover: Bob Hill (past section representative), Lindsay Pierce (Houstonsection Education Chair) and Naomi Azulai (Houston section President) presentHelen D’Couto with the SJWP award for Texas. As the first-place winner, she receivesa $250 prize, a commemorative plaque and travel expenses to Phoenix, Arizona, tocompete in the U.S. SJWP on June 21–23.

Leadership for theWater Environment in TexasJuly 2007Volume 24 Issue 4

Texas WET is published six timesa year for the Water EnvironmentAssociation of Texas.

2619-C Jones RoadAustin, Texas 78745512-693-0060 / Fax 512-693-0062

WEAT Staff and Volunteers

EditorCheryl SmithExecutive [email protected]

AdvertisingBill [email protected]

Layout and DesignDonna Diggons, [email protected]

WET Tech TalkRichard Eason512-261-6222, ext. [email protected]

WEAT WebsiteBruce [email protected]

Texas WET issues are publishedin January, March, May, July,September and November.Deadline for submitting articlesis the 7th day of the monthpreceding the issue month.

Table of Contents

Update Membership Info Online: Don’t miss your mailings. Update yourmembership information online at www.weat.org. Go to membership, thenupdate your membership profile. You will need your membership ID number(8 digits on WEF WE&T and WEF Highlights mailing label). Your password isyour last name.

4 Texas WET July 2007

A Message from the President

By Raj Bhattarai, President

Operators

I have been an engineer for more than 30 years.Most of my professors are engineers and scientists, andso are most of my colleagues and friends. Many of myfriends in WEAT and WEF are also engineers. Like manyof my colleagues, I have spent my entire professionalcareer in close association with, and close dependencyon, engineers. I have also worked for almost as long,in equally close association with, and equally closedependency on, operators. And when I say “operators,”I also mean maintenance technicians and all the front-line workers who make the water and wastewatersystem tick as a living organism.

Within just a few years of entering engineering,I became acutely aware of the way operators wereregarded and treated by engineers. During the last23 years of my tenure in the municipal sector, whereI have worked in close collaboration with operators, Ihave developed a tremendous respect for the operationsprofession. At the same time I have also done a lot ofworrying about the relationship between the operatorsand others in the water quality industry, and what theoperators do day in and day out to protect the publichealth and the environment.

Operators hold the entire water system together. It isastonishing—as everyone familiar with water and waste-water operations feels from time to time—that the wholeinstitution doesn’t fly to pieces. A water system operatesby the constant interplay of powerful forces pulling awayat each other in different directions, each force essentialfor getting the necessary things done, but often at oddswith each other. Each worker, from the superintendentto the janitors, to the collection and distribution systemoperators, technicians, electricians, chemists, biologists,lab assistants, and administrative staff, lives and worksknowing that the whole apparatus would come to astandstill without his or her individual contribution. Inone sense or another, each of them is right.

What I’ve seen during more than 30 years of experi-ence, though, is that the water and wastewater systemis held together, glued together by the operators and bynobody else.

The operators, the good ones anyway (and all theones I have worked with are good), always know what’sgoing on. They spot errors before errors can be launched.They know everything written on the log and on themonitoring screen of the system computers. Mostimportantly, they know their system in a way that anaverage engineer like me can never dream of knowing.Deep inside my heart I know that I need the operators alot more than they need me. I also know that I cannotfunction without the operators for even a few hours,

while they would probably not even notice if I wentmissing for six months.

About 20 years ago I read the essay Nurses by LewisThomas, an extraordinary physician, medicalresearcher, administrator, and an eloquent writer. WhatDr. Thomas wrote very sensitively about nurses wasexactly how I felt about operators. Since I am not agood writer, I have shamelessly borrowed Dr. Thomas’swonderful words and ideas for this article. All the goodwords, sentences and ideas you read here are almostcertainly from Dr. Thomas. This article is my tribute toone of my favorite writers and also to one of myfavorite professional groups—the operators.

During most of the last century, the operations pro-fession has been having a hard time of it. As the respon-sibility of the water quality industry increases, and weare being asked to do more and more with less and less,we place an even larger demand on the operators. Atsuch a time, we should be treating operators with theprofessional respect they deserve and collaborating withthem to solve our common problems instead of treatingthem as second class citizens. Whatever opinion we mayhave of other professionals in our industry, we mustlearn to treat everyone with dignity and respect, becausewhether we like it or not, we are all in it together.

An engineer may come and go at a treatment plant,spending some time there during design and construc-tion or special studies, but the operators are there 24hours a day, 365 days a year making sure everythingfunctions as it should. It is this quality that elevatestheir profession above all else in the water industry.

Knowing what I know, I am all for the operators. Ifthey want their professional status enhanced and theirpay increased, or if they infuriate engineers by theirclaims to be equal professionals, they should know I amon their side.

Since 1988, WEFTEC has featured the OperationsChallenge, one of the most popular and exciting eventsat the Annual Conference, in which teams of operatorsrepresenting WEF Member Associations, come togetherto compete with their skills in wastewater collectionand treatment. Texas held its first competition a yearlater, and has been sending teams to every WEFTECsince then. Our teams have done extremely well atWEFTEC. Trinity River Authority’s TRA CReWSers hasbeen the Division I National Champion the last twoyears in a row, and San Antonio Water System’s PowerSAWS was the Division II National Champion last year.

At the WEFTEC in Dallas last October, WEAT senta record five teams to Operations Challenge. We havean opportunity to match that record at this year’s

Continued on page 28


Highlights from the Executive Office

By Cheryl Smith, Executive Administrator

In this issue of Texas WET, instead of having the reg-ular Tech Talk articles, we have a special treat—an arti-cle on Sanitary/Environmental Engineering History ofThe University of Texas at Austin and the Impact ofGraduates and Faculty on the Water Environment inTexas. The article is written by Joseph F. Malina, Jr.,Ph.D., P.E., DEE, D. WRE, C.W. Cook, Professor in Envi-ronmental Engineering, Earnest F. Gloyna, D.Eng., P.E.(Ret.), DEE, and Betty Margaret Smith, Chair in Envi-ronmental Health Engineering, Emeritus, Departmentof Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering,The University of Texas at Austin. The article takes youthrough a journey of history in the development of theUT sanitary/environmental engineering programs.

The Central Texas Chapter held a one-day seminaron the 217 Rule in Austin on June 15. An overwhelm-ing number of attendees (close to 250) gathered to hearthe latest and greatest information on the rules. Due tothe large number, WEAT is in the process of planninganother seminar to coincide with Texas Register publi-cation of proposed rules to be held in the Dallas/FortWorth area in November.

The Biosolids/Odor and Corrosion Conference andExpo are happening on September 6–7 at the beautifulRadisson Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio.In this issue of Texas WET is the program schedule andregistration form. The conference and expo will haveseparate tracks, Biosolids and Odor and Corrosion. Forexhibit information and to register on line, please goto the Calendar of Events on the WEAT website.

As you know, WEAT’s Operation Challenge Teams,the TRA CReWSers and the Power SAWS from SanAntonio won 1st place National Champions in DivisionI and II at WEFTEC.06. Both teams get all expenses paidto WEFTEC.07 in San Diego. WEAT has a rare opportu-nity to send five teams to WEFTEC this year. In orderto accomplish this task, lots of funding is needed. As ofthis writing, PWO Representative John Bennett has puttogether a budget to send the five teams and it is fallingshort of around $5,000. If you are interested in con-tributing, please contact John Bennett at [email protected]. Texas is on top. Let’s keep it that way.


A Message from the Executive Director

By Carol Batterton, Executive Director

Effective Utility Management

At the Clean Water Policy Forum, co-sponsored bythe National Association of Clean Water Agencies andthe Water Environment Federation, industry leaderspresented the report “Findings and Recommendationsfor Water Utility Sector Management Strategy”. Thisreport is the product of a collaborative effort among theAmerican Public Works Association, American WaterWorks Association, Association of Metropolitan WaterAgencies, National Association of Clean Water Agencies,US Environmental Protection Agency and the WaterEnvironment Federation. These organizations previ-ously entered into a statement of intent to promoteeffective utility management and formed a steeringcommittee on Effective Utility Management.

This steering committee identified the commonchallenges to water utilities and identified the primarybuilding blocks of effective utility management. Oneof these building blocks was the Ten Attributes of Effec-tively Managed Utilities. The ten attributes discussedin the report include:

• Product quality• Employee and leadership development• Financial viability• Community sustainability • Stakeholder understanding and support• Customer satisfaction • Operational optimization• Operations resiliency • Infrastructure stability• Water resource adequacy

For additional discussion of these attributes and thefull text of the report, see

http://www.wef.org/ScienceTechnologyResources/TechnicalInformation/Projects/EPAUtilityManagement.htm

Next steps for the committee include developingtraining opportunities for utility managers and recogni-tion programs linked to the attributes.

Legislative Wrap-Up

The 80th Session of the Texas legislature concludedon May 28, 2007, after passing some significant water-related bills. These included:

• HB 3 by Rep. Puente: This bill establishes theEnvironmental Flows Advisory Committee and thestakeholder process for developing environmentalflow regimes for designated river basins and baysystems. The bill calls for recommendations from theadvisory committee by March 2009, and for TCEQ

to adopt the recommendations by September 2010.WEAT supported this bill.

• HB 4 by Rep. Puente: This bill establishes the WaterConservation Advisory Council to provide expertadvice on water conservation issues to state leaders.It requires utilities with over 3300 connections tosubmit water conservation plans to TCEQ, usinggoals and targets established by the utility. The billauthorizes TWDB to set up a state-wide water conser-vation public awareness initiative. WEAT took a posi-tion in favor of this bill.

• SB 3 by Sen. Averitt: This is a comprehensive waterbill that includes provisions similar to both HB 3 andHB 4. In addition, this bill designates unique reser-voir sites for future water supplies and establishesa joint legislative committee on infrastructure needsand funding. WEAT supported this bill.

• HB 147 by Rep. Phillips: This bill gives the TCEQauthority to allow a municipality to use a portionof an assessed administrative penalty to correct thedeficiency for which the penalty was assessed. WEATsubmitted comments in favor of this bill.

• HB 1886 by Rep. Callegari: Describes the proceduresfor utilities to follow when using design build pro-curement.

Some notable bills that did not pass during this session:

• HB 2318 and HB 3960 by Rep. Wayne Smith: Wouldhave provided for needed changes to the way TCEQdevelops and uses a facility’s compliance history inregulatory actions. WEAT supported both of thesebills.

• HB 3997 by Rep. Bonnen: Bill would have prohibiteda municipality from marketing composted productsthat it produces outside of the city’s corporate limits.In addition, the bill would not allow a city to sellcomposted products at a price lower than the averageof prices offered by three private competitors,although the city could give away the compostfor free. This bill also would not allow a city to sellcomposted products unless the city had proceduresto apply the compost to all city properties. WEATopposed this bill.

• HB 3596 by Rep. Raymond: Would have requiredmunicipal dischargers to monitor their effluent bygas chromatograph and report unauthorized dis-charges. WEAT also opposed this bill.

The governor has until June 17, 2007, to veto anybill passed during this session. If the bill is not vetoed,it becomes law.


WEAT Section ActivitiesAbilene Vacant—rep needed

Amarillo Vacant—rep neededRepresentative Dr. Paul T. Baumgardner, 806-353-7798

This month Dr. Baumgardner contacted the existingWEAT members in the Amarillo area to introduce him-self and to solicit members’ interest in becoming activein the Amarillo Section. Dr. Baumgardner also con-tacted the local TWUA section to solicit the localTWUA section’s interests in having a joint-sessionmeeting of WEAT members and TWUA members in anattempt to afford network opportunities among TWUAand WEAT members. Dr. Baumgardner urges currentWEAT members that reside in the Amarillo area tocontact him at [email protected] todiscuss section growth opportunities and educationalworkshop programs.

AustinRepresentative Lynne Moss, 512-346-1100

The Central Texas Section of WEAT met on May 15,2007, where Monica Pfeifer of the Lower ColoradoRiver Authority (LCRA) was the guest speaker. Ms.Pfeifer discussed an ongoing construction project toexpand the Brushy Creek Wastewater Treatment Plantfrom 11.8 mgd to 21.5 mgd. The evening also includeda short business meeting and a social gathering fol-lowed by a buffet dinner.

Ms. Pfeifer is a registered Professional Engineer anda Project Management Professional. She has a Bachelorof Science in Agricultural Engineering from Texas A&MUniversity and she has been with LCRA for 10 years.Over her career, she has transitioned from water andwastewater operations to engineering and construction.

Meeting Sponsors were: Carter & Burgess, Environ-mental Improvements, Inc., and HDR. Founded in1939, Carter & Burgess offer engineering, architecturaland related services from more than 30 offices nation-wide. For more information, see www.c-b.com or con-tact Robin.Donaldson at 512.314.3133. EnvironmentalImprovements, Inc. is a manufacturers representativefirm specializing in water and wastewater treatment.Call 800-374-7008 or visit www.ei2hou.com for moreinformation. HDR is an architectural, engineering andconsulting firm with 140 locations worldwide. Learnmore at www.hdrinc.com.

The Central Texas YP chapter met April 12 at HulaHut, an event that was sponsored by Diamond Fiber-glass. WEAT YP’s were joined by local AWWA YP’s andthe merge was so successful that the groups plan tocontinue joint meetings in the future. The next meet-ing was scheduled for June 14. For more informationabout YP activities, plase contact YP chair Ryan Bellat 512-338-1704 or [email protected].

The next scheduled meeting is a WEAT and TAWWACasino Party, scheduled for Friday, July 20. Please joinus for an evening of dinner and entertainment. Formore information or to make reservations, please visitwww.weat.org/central or contact Heather Harris [email protected].

Beaumont/Port ArthurRepresentative Karin Warren, 409-785-3006

Bryan/College Station Vacant—rep needed

Corpus ChristiRepresentative Foster Crowell, 361-857-1801

Dallas/Fort WorthRepresentative Dawn Anderson, 214-638-0500

The North Central Texas Section of WEAT met onMay 17, 2007, where David Harkins, from Espey Con-sultants in Austin was our guest speaker. Mr. Harkinsprovided a discussion on North Texas Utility Impactson proposed TCEQ Environmental Flow Regulations.The evening began with a social gathering, followedby a buffet dinner, a short business meeting, where newSection Officers were elected, and ended with the guestspeaker. The new North Texas Section Officers are:

• Past President: Becky Guthrie, [email protected]

• President: Randy McIntyre, [email protected]• President Elect: Amy Robinson, [email protected] • Vice President: John Bennett, [email protected]• Secretary: Erin Flanagan, [email protected]• Treasurer: Darryl Corbin, [email protected]• Section Rep: Dawn Anderson, [email protected] • Past Section Rep: Betty Jordan, [email protected]

Meeting sponsors included:

• Espey Consultants, Inc.• HDR, Inc.• Mehta West Brashear Group• Westin

The North Texas Section held a charity Bingo partywith proceeds going to Water For People.

In addition, our annual July picnic (July 20, 2007)will be a cookoff where all proceeds will benefit theTexas Operations Challenge Teams in their mission tocompete at nationals in San Diego this fall. The NTShas committed a minimum donation of $1,000 to theTexas teams.

Del Rio/Uvalde Vacant—rep needed

El PasoRepresentative David Ornelas, 915-594-5730

Harlingen/Brownsville Vacant—rep needed


Houston/GalvestonRepresentative Jennie Almerico, P.E., 281-367-9512

Section Meetings: On May 17 at 6:00 pm, WEATmembers gathered for a joint meeting with the localsection of TAWWA at St. Arnold Brewery for our finalmeeting of the season.

The following new officers were installed for the’07–’08 year:

• Chuck Gilman, P.E.—President• Kim Chanslor—President Elect• Evelyn Zapata, P.E.—Vice President• Vinoth Manoharan—Secretary/Treasurer• Jennie Almerico, P.E.—Section Representative

Many heartfelt thanks go to our outgoing President,Naomi Azulai, P.E., and our outgoing Section Represen-tative, Dr. Bob Hill.

Texas Stockholm Junior Water Prize: This year’sfirst place winner was Helen D’Couto from the Hous-ton area. She will be competing nationally. LindsayPierce, Public Education Committee Chair, presentedHelen with her plaque and award check on June 5,2007. Way to go, Helen! We are proud of your accom-plishments.

Water for People: On April 1, 2007, a very successfulfundraiser was held at the Haak Winery. In its first year,the Houston chapter of Water for People has raisednearly $5,000. Many thanks to Evelyn Zapata for herhard work as chair of Water for People.

As always, we ask you to visit our websitewww.weat.org/southeast for the latest news and meet-ing notices for our section. You can find our officers’contact information there. Please contact one of us ifyou’d like to volunteer with our section or receive ournewsletters. Have a wonderful summer!

Laredo Vacant—rep needed

Longview/Tyler/TexarkanaRepresentative Brandy Germany Smart, 903-509-1552

LubbockRepresentative Dr. Andrew Jackson, 806-742-2801

Midland/OdessaRepresentative Debbie McReynolds, 915-335-4625

Port Lavaca Vacant—rep needed

San Angelo Vacant—rep needed

San AntonioRepresentative Don Vandertulip, P.E., 210-541-9166

The San Antonio Section Executive Board met onMay 10, 2007 to address scheduled events, elections inJune and funding for WEAT Operations Challenge.During the April Section meeting, attendees donated$130 toward support of Operations Challenge. Both theWEAT and AWWA Boards voted to support OperationsChallenge with $250 each and San Antonio met the

Austin and Houston Section Challenge and contributed$630 to support Operations Challenge. The San Anto-nio Section, with AWWA, had a bowling social onJune 15 at Country Lanes. Sponsors were encouraged toparticipate. There was also a Section Social on May 10hosted by Black & Veatch. Officer elections werescheduled for June so nominations are open for Vice-President, Treasurer and Section Representative.

The technical program for the May 24 meeting waspresented by Steve Raabe, P.E., San Antonio RiverAuthority on “Regional Water Planning.” Steve pre-sented the Region L Water Plan and discussed communi-cation and co-operation between the Regional entities.The June meeting was scheduled for June 21 at SAWS.

Heart of TexasRepresentative Trey Buzbee, 254-761-3168

Wichita Falls Vacant—rep needed

Bob Derrington ScholarshipDeadline July 15, 2007

The deadline to submit application for the BobDerrington Scholarship is July 15, 2007. Thescholarships are open to students who are the sonsand daughters of WEAT members. For applicationand more information, go to WEAT’s website atwww.weat.org.


WET Tech Talk

Abstract

The graduates of the sanitary/environmental engi-neering programs at the University of Texas at Austin(UT) have provided leadership for more than 113 years.They continue to contribute significantly to theadvancement of the sanitary/environmental and waterresources environmental engineering profession in theState of Texas, throughout the United States, and inter-nationally. The development and growth of the waterenvironment professional associations in Texas paral-leled the emergence in 1894 of sanitary engineeringeducation in Texas in the Department of Engineering atUT. The 1894–95 Engineering catalog listed a four-yearcurriculum in sanitary engineering as well as graduatework in sanitary and hydraulic engineering. Today envi-ronmental and water resources engineering specialtyareas remain an integral part of the UT Civil Engineer-ing undergraduate and graduate programs. The sanitaryengineering option of the Civil Engineering programwas accredited by The Engineering Council for Profes-sional Development (ECPD) in 1936. In 1947 theMaster of Science degree in sanitary engineering wasapproved by the UT Graduate School and the Ph.D.degree in civil engineering was approved in 1952.

The Environmental and Water Resources Engineering(EWRE) Program at the University of Texas has devel-oped into a premier national and international centerfor graduate environmental education and research. Theundergraduate environmental engineering option of theCivil Engineering program and the graduate program inEnvironmental and Water Resources Engineering at theUniversity of Texas at Austin consistently have beenranked among the top environmental engineeringprograms in the United States. The UT EWRE graduateprogram tied for 2nd place among environmentalengineering graduate programs in the United States inthe latest U.S. News and World Report rankings.

Graduates of the environmental engineering andwater resources engineering programs, and CE facultyin the EWRE program have played important roles inthe evolution of the water environment professionalassociations into the Water Environment Association ofTexas (WEAT) and the Texas American Water WorksAssociation (TAWWA). Engineering graduates and thefaculty of the EWRE program at the University of Texas

at Austin have favorably impacted the quality of life ofmany people over the last one hundred years and willcontinue this legacy of developing engineering solu-tions to environmental and water resources problemsin Texas, in the nation and around the globe.

Introduction

The University of Texas at Austin opened in 1883and some 10 years later the Department of Engineeringwas established. This paper traces the emergence of san-itary and environmental engineering education at UT,and the expansion and development of programs intoa major center of environmental and water resourcesengineering education and research. Environmentalengineering and water resources engineering programsare offered at UT as undergraduate options of the ABETaccredited civil engineering program, as an ABETaccredited Master of Science Engineering degree pro-gram in environmental and water resources engineeringand as Ph.D. in civil engineering with areas of special-ization in environmental engineering and waterresources engineering. The impacts of the sanitary/environmental engineering education and research pro-grams at UT on the water environment engineeringprofession and on the quality of life in Texas andthroughout the United States and the world in the lastcentury also are discussed. The focus is on the impor-tant leadership roles and contributions that UT envi-ronmental and water resources engineers and programfaculty have played in the evolution of the water envi-ronment professional associations into the Water Envi-ronment Association of Texas (WEAT) as well as theTexas American Water Works Association (TAWWA).

Undergraduate Option in Environmental Engineering

The 1894–1895 catalog of UT stated that the Depart-ment of Engineering offered a four-year curriculum insanitary engineering as well as in civil engineering withgraduate work available in sanitary and hydraulic engi-neering. The civil engineering curriculum required allstudents to complete courses in water supply, waterfiltration, sewerage systems, and sewage disposal.Sanitary engineering later emerged as an option incivil engineering.

Sanitary/Environmental Engineering History of The University of Texas at Austin and Impact of Graduates and Faculty on the Water Environment in Texas

By Joseph F. Malina, Jr., Ph.D., P.E., DEE, D. WRE, C.W. Cook Professor in EnvironmentalEngineering, and Earnest F. Gloyna, D. Eng., P.E. (Ret.), DEE, Betty Margaret Smith Chairin Environmental Health Engineering, Emeritus, Department of Civil, Architectural, andEnvironmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin


The undergraduate Civil Engineering program,including the sanitary engineering option, was accred-ited by The Engineering Council for Professional Devel-opment (ECPD) in 1936. The name of the optionevolved into environmental engineering to reflect theincreasing breadth of the discipline. The Civil Engineer-ing curriculum expanded beyond the required coursesin water supply and treatment, and wastewater collec-tion and treatment, to include elective courses thatfocused on water treatment and wastewater treatmentplant design, environmental sampling and analysis,solid waste engineering, industrial waste treatment,hazardous waste remediation, water quality and pollu-tion control, air pollution control, indoor air qualityand control, hydraulic engineering design, and surfaceand groundwater hydrology.

The environmental engineering option in Civil Engi-neering program continues as an undergraduate degreeprogram at UT. The Civil Engineering program and theenvironmental engineering option have been accreditedfor more that 70 years by the Engineering AccreditationCommission of the Accreditation Board for Engineeringand Technology (EAC/ABET). The current accreditationextends through 2011. Approximately 800 BSCEdegrees with environmental engineering specializationwere earned from 1961 through the spring 2006.During this period, approximately 18 students peryear graduated. The majority of these graduates haveaccepted positions with engineering consulting firmsthat specialize in water environmental engineeringdesign or land development and some enter graduateschool, business school or law school.

Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) Program

The Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) degreein Civil Engineering was available for about 45 yearsbefore the first M.S.E. CE degree with a sanitary engi-neering option was earned by Herman Kelley Clark in1939. The emergence of the graduate program in sani-tary engineering in the Civil Engineering Departmentis associated with Mr. Quinton B. Graves who joinedthe Civil Engineering faculty in 1937 to teachhydraulics and sanitary engineering. The M.S.E in Sani-tary Engineering degree was approved by the GraduateSchool at UT in 1947. Earnest F. Gloyna and Ben B.Ewing joined the Civil Engineering faculty as Instruc-tors in 1947. They and other returning World War IIveterans provided the impetus to gain approval fromthe Graduate School of the M.S.E. in Sanitary Engineer-ing as a stand alone degree program in the CE depart-ment. Gloyna and Ewing were promoted to AssistantProfessors in 1949 after earning M.S.E. in sanitary engi-neering under the tutelage of K.W. Cosens. In 1950,Ernest W. Steel was recruited as a Professor of CivilEngineering and brought many years of experience insanitary engineering practice and teaching to the gradu-ate program. Professor Steel and Mr. Victor Ehlers, State


Sanitary Engineer, Texas State Department of Health,co-authored Municipal and Rural Sanitation. The firstedition was released in 1927. This sanitary engineeringtextbook was adopted nationally and internationallyand the sixth edition was published in 1965.

The roots of the current graduate program in Envi-ronmental and Water Resources Engineering at UT goback to 1953 when Earnest F. Gloyna, Doctor of Engi-neering degree that he earned at Johns Hopkins Univer-sity in hand, returned to the University of Texas atAustin to resume his teaching and research activities inthe sanitary engineering program. Professor Steel retiredin the fall 1960, and Joseph F. Malina, Jr. joined theCivil Engineering faculty in the spring 1961 as an Assis-tant Professor to start a long teaching and researchcareer in the environmental engineering program at UT.

In 1962, the name of the sanitary engineering pro-gram formally was changed to Environmental HealthEngineering (EHE) to more clearly describe publichealth aspects of this growing engineering disciplineand expanding graduate program. Environmentalhealth engineering also reflected the scope of the aca-demic curriculum and breadth of the research programthat focused on emphasizing the effects of man’s activi-ties on human health, environmental health, and thequality of the water resources, air resources and landresources. New research programs were initiated, andenrollment of graduate students increased accordingly.The curriculum that emphasized water and wastewateranalysis and treatment, as well as design of treatmentplants, expanded to include courses in environmentalsampling and analysis, chemical, physical and biologi-cal processes for water and wastewater treatment, indus-trial wastewater treatment, air pollution control, publichealth engineering, radiological health, and industrialhygiene.

The M.S.E. in EHE program was accredited in 1963at the advanced level by the Engineering AccreditationCommission of Accreditation Board for Engineeringand Technology and has been continuously accreditedby EACABET for more that 48 years, making the grad-uate program in sanitary/environmental engineering atUT one of the oldest EAC/ABET accredited graduateengineering programs in the United States. The EHEgraduate program incorporated the water resourcesengineering faculty and graduate students and the Envi-ronmental and Water Resources Engineering (EWRE)was established in 1998 as an integral part of The Civil,Architectural and Environmental Engineering Depart-ment at UT. The M.S.E. EWRE program was accreditedat the advanced level by EAC/ABET for the period 2005through 2011.

The EWRE graduate program at UT is a strong engi-neering and research program. A well-qualified facultyis supported by an outstanding student body. Modernfacilities with well-equipped laboratories, state-of-the-art instrumentation, superb computation facilities, andsupporting endowments are available to provide salary

supplements and discretionary funds to the faculty,and financial support to students. This support baseenhances effective teaching in the academic program,professional development of the faculty, and excellentand diverse research programs

The chronology, academic degree earned, and area ofspecialization of the 43 faculty members who taught inthe program are presented in Table 1. Notable facultymembers include Emeritus Professor E.F. Gloyna(1947–2001) who started and developed the environ-mental engineering program; Emeritus Professor WalterL. Moore (1947–1984) who developed the waterresources program; Professor Joseph F. Malina, Jr.(1961–present) who has been teaching and conductingresearch in the EWRE program for almost 47 years, andinstrumental in recruiting W.W. Eckenfelder to the UTprogram; Professor W. Wes Eckenfelder (1965–1969)who enhanced the industrial wastewater treatmentefforts and strengthened the links with industry; thelate E. Gus Fruh (1966–1979) who added a strong waterquality protection component to the environmentalengineering program; Emeritus Professor Leo R. Beard(1972–1982) who enhanced the hydrological modelingefforts with his experience with the Corps of Engineers;the late Professor Gerard A. Rohlich (1972–1984) wholinked the environmental and water resources programswith the L.B. J. School of Public Affairs; and EmeritusProfessor Raymond C. Loehr (1985–2003) who strength-ened the industrial and hazardous waste remediationefforts.

Currently, there are 16 full-time faculty members,one Adjunct Professor and four Emeritus Professors inthe EWRE program, including five members of theNational Academy of Engineering (NAE). All full-timefaculty earned a doctoral degree and bring to the EWREprogram varied backgrounds ranging from traditionalcivil engineering to basic sciences. Many have consult-ing engineering or industrial experience. The currentEWRE faculty have strong professional interests thatinclude registration as a Licensed Professional Engineer,participation in professional and technical organiza-tions, and participation in professional developmentprograms. The majority of the faculty are licensed pro-fessional engineers. Scholarly activities are indicated bystrong research programs and extensive peer reviewedpublications.

Research facilities initially were located in the Envi-ronmental Health Engineering Research Laboratories(EHERL) at the Balcones Research Center (PickleResearch Campus) and in a temporary building on themain campus. The existing Center for Research inWater Resources (CRWR) facilities were built in 1970at the Pickle Research Campus. An additional 20,000square feet of space became available to the EWREprogram faculty and students in the Ernest Cockrell Jr.building that was completed on the main campus in1975. The EWRE laboratories are designed for physical,chemical and biological analyses, and for research on


water, wastewater and hazardous waste treatmentprocesses. The facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation, environmental chambers, numer-ous standard exhaust hoods, and two walk-in hoods.

Graduate students are selected from major U.S. andinternational universities. The current EWRE graduatestudent enrollment is 98; 56% are United Statesnationals, 39% are female, and the mix betweenM.S. and Ph.D. degree candidates is about equal.

The UT EWRE graduate program has a strong engi-neering emphasis and focuses on educating engineerswho are prepared to solve current and future environ-mental and water resources engineering problems. Theprogram of study for each student is tailored to satisfypersonal and professional career goals of the student.Students can focus on water and wastewater treatmentprocess engineering and design, hydraulic engineeringdesign, air resources engineering, indoor air quality,solid waste engineering and management, environmen-tal remediation and risk assessment, surface water andgroundwater pollutant transport and modeling, andwater resources engineering and planning.

The UT M.S.E. (EWRE) program curricula areanchored in environmental and water resources engi-neering design and incorporate a balanced combinationof engineering theory, mathematics, natural sciences,design, seminars, and research. All graduates of the UTMSE (EWRE) program are encouraged to complete athesis or engineering report. The curriculum completedby each MSE (EWRE) graduate typically includes asequence of courses in one of four specialty areas:Water, Wastewater, and Hazardous Waste TreatmentEngineering and Design; Water Quality Management;Air Quality and Pollution Control Engineering; orWater Resources Engineering and Design.

Engineering students who are admitted to the MSE(EWRE) program must have earned a bachelor’s degreein engineering from an EAC/ABET accredited engineer-ing program. Non-engineering students who have out-standing undergraduate academic records in naturalsciences or mathematics may be admitted to the MSE(EWRE) program after completing required remedialundergraduate engineering coursework in environmen-tal and water resources engineering (e.g. hydraulicsengineering, water and wastewater treatment engineer-ing, air pollution engineering, environmental samplingand analysis, hydrology, or groundwater hydraulics,hydraulic engineering design and design of wastewaterand water treatment facilities). These requirementsensure that UT EWRE graduates have knowledge offundamental engineering principles and can satisfy theminimum requirements for application for the Funda-mentals in Engineering examination for certification asan Engineer in Training, which is the first step in prep-aration for licensure as a professional engineer.

A total of 991 graduate students have earned a M.S.E.degree in sanitary engineering, environmental healthengineering and environmental and water resources

engineering at UT during the period of 1937 throughthe summer 2006. The data presented in Figure 1 arethe number of M.S.E. degrees awarded during the timeperiod indicated, usually five-year time increments.During the early years (1937–1965) the average numberof M.S.E. graduates was just over 2 per year. A rapidincrease in the number of M.S.E. graduates to 16 peryear was observed during 1966–1970. A maximumannual output of 35 M.S.E environmental health engi-neering degrees was observed during 1991–1995. Onaverage, from 1966 through the summer of 2006, 26M.S.E. degrees were earned each year in sanitary engi-neering/environmental health engineering/environ-mental and water resources engineering at the Univer-sity of Texas at Austin

A survey of UT M.S.E. EHE and EWRE graduates wasconducted in 2004 in preparation for the reaccredita-tion of the M.S.E. EWRE program by EAC/ABET. Theresults of this effort indicate that 48% of all M.S.E. grad-uate responding, and 64% of those graduating since1998, were employed in consulting engineering. Inaddition, 11% of all responding, and 7% of those grad-uating since 1998, hold positions in industry. Thestrong emphasis of the curriculum on process engineer-ing and engineering design prepare the UT engineeringgraduates for productive careers in the environmentalengineering profession. Approximately 11% of all


graduates and 4% of the more recent graduates wereemployed by municipal, state or federal governmentagencies. Other recent MSE (EWRE) graduates con-tinued on to graduate school.

Doctoral Program

The UT Civil Engineering Department at the Univer-sity of Texas at Austin was approved to offer the Ph.D.degree in 1952. The average number of Ph.D. degreeswith a sanitary engineering or water resources engineer-ing emphasis awarded per year at UT, 1957 through thesummer of 2006, are presented in Figure 2.

The first Ph.D. with emphasis in sanitary engineeringwas earned in 1957 by Dr. Edward R. Hermann who wasDr. Gloyna’s first Ph.D. student. He initially wasemployed as an industrial hygienist by Humble, Exxon,and retired as a Professor, University of Illinois, ChicagoCircle campus. The Ph.D. degree does not have designa-tion of an area of specialization. However, 209 Ph.D.degrees with a specialization in sanitary/environmentalengineering or water resource engineering were earnedfrom 1957 through August 2006. A total of 31 Ph.D.degrees were earned during the 1966–1970 time period,for an average of 6.3 per year. However, seven Ph.D.degrees were earned in the spring and summer 2006.The data indicate that on average approximately fivePh.D. degrees per year were earned during the timeperiod 1961 through August 2006. Most of the Ph.D.graduates went on to teaching and research careers atmajor universities, including but not limited to: theUniversity of Texas at Austin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois-Chicago Circle, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas State,Texas A&M, California at Davis, Oregon State, Washing-ton State, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, US Air Force Acad-emy, US Military Academy(West Point), Cincinnati,Alabama, Florida, Central Florida, Missouri Rolla,Michigan Tech, Puerto Rico, Lamar University, UT

Arlington, UT San Antonio, UT El Paso, Louisiana Tech,British Columbia and Waterloo in Canada, UniversidadAutonoma de Mexico, and Universidad Autonoma deNuevo Leon in Mexico, Tokyo and Kyoto in Japan,Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and dozensof other universities in the U.S., and throughout theworld. However, in the last decade, UT Ph.D. graduateshave been recruited by engineering consulting firms,and by governmental research laboratories to fill post-doctoral research positions.

National Ranking

The Environmental and Water Resources Engineeringprogram at the University of Texas has developed intoa premier national and international center of graduateenvironmental education and research. Strong anddiverse academic and research programs, qualified andrespected faculty, and accomplishments of UT M.S.E.and Ph.D. graduates have been recognized favorably bythe environmental engineering profession. The under-graduate environmental engineering option of the CivilEngineering program and the graduate program inEnvironmental and Water Resources Engineering at theUniversity of Texas at Austin consistently have beenranked among the top environmental engineering pro-grams in the United States. In the latest (2006) U.S.News and World Report rankings, the undergraduateUT CE program, which includes the environmentalengineering option, is tied for 4th place among all civilengineering programs. When compared with all under-graduate degree programs in environmental/environ-mental health, the undergraduate environmental engi-neering option at UT is tied for 6th place. The UTEWRE graduate program is tied for 2nd place amongenvironmental engineering graduate programs in theUnited States, up from 5th place in 2006. The USNWR2007 top ranked environmental engineering institutions

Figure 1. Average Number of M.S.E. Degrees in Sanitary, EnvironmentalHealth Engineering and Environmental & Water Resources EngineeringAwarded per Year, University of Texas at Austin (1937–August 2006).

Figure 2. Number of Ph.D. Degrees Earned with SanitaryEngineering/Environmental Health Engineering or Water ResourcesEngineering Emphasis. University of Texas at Austin, (1956–August 2006).


n Simplifies Flow Monitoring Tasks

n Data Storage/Recalln Replacement for

USGS MechanicalMeters

Flowmeter RentalsNow Available From

Marsh-McBirneyn “No Lost Data” Guaranteen Immediate Availabilityn All Flowmeters Factory

Calibrated & Certifiedn Rent-to-Own Programn Unlimited Free Technical Support

Call Today For Rental Quote

(800) 368-2723(301) 874-5599

Visit www.marsh-mcbirney.com/rent

TM

TM

n Eliminates Foulingn Reduces Confined

Space Entry by 90%n Proven Accuracy

WaterEnvironmentFederation2005 InnovativeTechnologyAward

are (1) Stanford [1], (2) University of Texas at Austin [5],(2) Johns Hopkins University [3], (2) University of Cali-fornia, Berkeley [3], (5) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign [2], and (5) University of Michigan [8].(Note: Numbers in brackets [ ] indicate USNWR 2006rankings.)

Impact of Environmental Engineering at theUniversity of Texas at Austin on the WaterEnvironment of Texas and the Profession

The Center for Research in Water Resources at theUniversity of Texas has and continues to play an impor-tant role in the water environment in Texas since thecenter was established in 1963 under the direction ofE.F. Gloyna. The first comprehensive study of GalvestonBay was completed in 1964 by Gloyna and Malina. Dur-ing the mid-60s, through the mid-70s, the emergingpetroleum and petrochemical industry in Texas calledon environmental engineering faculty and professionalstaff (Gloyna, Eckenfelder, Ford and Malina) associatedCRWR, and graduate students to conduct studies toestablish the treatability of the industrial wastewatereffluent, which was required to meet the industrial dis-charge permit requirements. Advanced Water PollutionControl Short Courses dealing with Biological WasteTreatment and Physical and Chemical WastewaterTreatment were developed in 1967 and continue to

provide continuing professional development opportu-nities for consulting engineers, scientists and facilityoperators in municipal and government agencies. Theseefforts were complemented by timely CRWR symposiadealing with such topics as

• Advances in Water Quality Improvement (1968)• Effects of Watershed Changes on Streamflow (1969)• Water Quality Improvement by Physical and Chemi-

cal Processes (1970)• Contemporary Developments in Water Law (1970)• Conflicts in Water Resources Planning (1972)• Application of Commercial Oxygen to Water and

Wastewater Systems (1973)• Virus Survival in Water and Wastewater Systems

(1974)• Water Management by the Electric Power Industry

(1975)• Ponds as a Wastewater Treatment Alternative (1981)• Toxic materials—Methods for Control (1983)• Land Treatment—A Hazardous Waste Management

Alternative (1986).

CRWR continues to play an important role in pro-tecting and developing the water environment of Texas.Focus is on geographic data modeling for groundwatersystems, geo-data base for flood hazard studies, GIS forlarge-scale watersheds, planning and management ofwater resources in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo basin,


recognition from diverse organizations. Five membersof the current EWRE full-time, adjunct and emeritusProfessors have been elected to the National Academyof Engineering,

Over 200 UT EWRE doctoral graduates have joinedthe professional ranks. These. graduates accepted fac-ulty positions in major Universities including: Michi-gan, Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas State, TexasA&M, California at Davis, Oregon State, WashingtonState, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Alabama, Central Florida,Missouri Rolla, Puerto Rico, the University of Texas atAustin, and foreign institutions. Some UT Ph.D. gradu-ates have entered public service, attaining senior levelpositions in federal and state agencies. Other Ph.D.graduates have become senior engineers, principals, andowners in major engineering consulting firms. The UTEWRE program has graduated, annually, an average offive Ph.D. students with a specialization in environ-mental and water resources engineering.

Almost 1000 UT M.S.E. EWRE graduates have madeimportant contributions to the environmental engi-neering profession in Texas, the United States, andother parts of the world. The majority of the MSE grad-uates are engaged in environmental engineering con-sulting. Many graduates are principals of major engi-neering firms, or hold senior engineering positions.Other graduates hold senior level engineering positionsin the municipal, federal or state government agencies.Several UT M.S.E. graduates are attorneys. More recentgraduates hold entry level or junior engineering posi-tions in engineering consulting firms, and some con-tinue their graduate studies. Approximately twentyM.S.E. EWRE degrees are earned per year by graduatesof the EWRE program at UT. An additional fifteen BSCivil Engineer degrees with options in environmentalengineering are earned per year. These graduates con-tinue to make contributions to the development ofinnovative engineering solutions to environmental andwater resources problems in Texas, other states, andother countries.

Impact of Environmental Engineering at theUniversity of Texas at Austin on the WaterEnvironment Organizations in Texas

The graduates and environmental engineering fac-ulty of the University of Texas at Austin have con-tributed to the evolution and growth of the Water Envi-ronment Association of Texas and the Texas AmericanWater Works Association. Space does not permit adetailed elaboration of all activities and participationof all the individuals who are and have been membersof these organizations. A short history of the evolutionof the water environment organizations in Texas is pre-sented to provide background of the parallels in growthof environmental engineering education at UT and theparticipation of UT alumni and faculty in the develop-ment of the organizations.

W. S. Mahlie and V. M. Ehlers, water environment

storm water hydraulics and highway runoff water qual-ity and pollution control, and development and assess-ment of tools for hydrocarbon recovery from groundwater. Environmental and water resources engineeringfaculty and graduate students continue to maintainactive research efforts at CRWR, (e.g., remediation ofcontaminated sediments in rivers, treatment processesfor treatment of contaminated groundwater, soils anddrinking water, enhanced reverse osmosis systems,membrane bioreactors, industrial wastewater treatment,and improved sludge and biosolids dewatering).

The impacts of the sanitary/environmental engineer-ing education and research programs at the Universityof Texas at Austin on the environmental engineeringprofession and on the quality of life in Texas, through-out the United States, and the world, in the last centuryhave been significant. The archival publications, timelyresearch, and contributions to the profession by thefaculty are legendary. The contributions of the UT pro-grams to the environmental and water resources engi-neering professions are significant and are summarizedbelow.

Productivity of the University of Texas at AustinSanitary/Environmental Engineering and WaterResources Engineering Programs

Faculty (1888–2006) 43

Current Faculty (2006–2007)Full-time 16Adjunct 1Emeritus 5Archival Publications of current faculty 2000

Degrees AwardedPh.D. degrees awarded (1961–2006) 209Average number of Ph.D. degrees /year (1961–2006) 5 per year

MSE degrees awarded (1947–2006) 991Average number of MSE degrees /year (1966–2006) 26 per year

BSCE Degrees with Environmental Engineering Option (1961–2006) 800

BSCE Degrees/year Environmental Engineering Option (1961–2006) 18 per year

The UT EWRE faculty members continue to makeoutstanding contributions to classroom teaching andresearch in environmental and civil engineering. Thecurrent UT EWRE faculty have produced more that2000 archival journal papers. EWRE faculty membersalso are active in various professional organizations (e.g.American Water Works Association, Water EnvironmentFederation, EWRI/ASCE, American Academy of Environ-mental Engineers, Air & Waste Management Associa-tion, International Society of Indoor Air Quality andClimate). A number of EWRE faculty have held, orcurrently hold, leadership positions in professionalorganizations, and have earned major awards and


pioneers, began organizing water professionals in Texasin 1918, with the objective of improving water supplies,resulting in the formation of the Texas Water WorksAssociation. In 1924, the Texas Water Works Associa-tion became affiliated with the Southwest Water WorksAssociation as the Texas Section.

The Southwest Water Works Association joined withthe American Water Works Association in 1935, as theTexas Division, Southwest Section, AWWA. In the late1960s, the potential benefits of becoming a separatestate section became increasingly apparent to many ofthe members in Texas Division of the Southwest SectionAWWA. The prospect of better representation before theTexas legislative and regulatory agencies, as well asincreased coordination and involvement with otherTexas water environment oriented organizations pre-vailed. On December 1, 1971, the AWWA Boardapproved the formation of the Texas Section of AWWA.

A separate Sewage Division of the Texas Section,Southwest Water Works Association was formed in1926. The Sewage Works Federation (now WEF) wasorganized in 1929. The organizing committee includedfive members from the Sewage Division of the TexasSection. The Texas Sewage Division became independ-ent of the Texas Section; Southwest Water WorksAssociation in 1944 and in 1948 became affiliated with

the Sewage Works Federation. The Sewage Section,Texas Water and Sewage Works Association officiallywas established in 1949. The organization became theTexas Water Pollution Control Association (TWPCA) in1962 with the mission to protect and enhance the qual-ity of the water resources of Texas. Earnest Gloyna,Arthur Busch (Rice University) and John Wold organ-ized the first annual conference of the Industrial Sec-tion of TWPCA in 1961 in Houston. Joseph Malinaserved as the chair of the Annual Industrial Water andWaste Conference of the Industrial Section TWPCA in1962, 1964, and 1967 in Austin at the University ofTexas at Austin, and as editor of the conference pro-ceedings. TWPCA has hosted an Annual Conferencesince 1961. In1994, TWPCA became the Water Envi-ronment Association of Texas (WEAT).

One measure of major contribution is holding a lead-ership position in an organization. The presiding officerwas called the Chairman of the section from 1928–1961and President since 1962. UT graduates or faculty whoserved in leadership positions are listed below:

Sewage and Industrial Waste Section, Texas Water andSewage Works Association Chairmen

1952–53 Albert Ullrich, BSChE 1924, MSChE 19251956–57 Glen A. Doty, BSCE 1948, MSEHE 1949


Texas Water Pollution Control Association Presidents,

1962–63 W.N. Wells, BSChE 1937, MSChE 19491964–65 S.A. Garza, BSCE 19551972–73 Curtis E. Johnson, BSChE 19591973–74 James E. Laughlin, BSCE 19541975–76 Joseph F. Malina, Jr. Professor

WEAT Presidents

2005–06 Richard Eason BA Biology/Biological Science2007–08 Raj Bhattarai, MSEHE 1980Brad Castleberry, BSCE 1993, President Elect

The Water Environment Federation Arthur SidneyBedell Award was established to acknowledge extraordi-nary personal service to a Member Association.

Bedell Award Recipients who are graduates or faculty of theUniversity of Texas at Austin include:

1963 David F. Smallhorst, BSCE 19361967 Albert H. Ullrich, BSChE 1924, MSChE 19251971 Sam L. Warrington, BSCE 19501980 S.A. Garza, BSCE 19551983 Dick Whittington, BSCE 1953, MSEHE 19691984 Joseph F. Malina, Jr., Professor1990 Earnest F. Gloyna, MSCE 1949 and Professor1998 Raj Bhattarai, MSEHE 19801999 Alan Plummer, MSEHE 1968

Water Environment Association of Texas Pillars of theProfession honors an individual who has demonstratedmeaningful and substantial contributions toward theimprovement of the water environment via a distin-guished career in the wastewater or water quality indus-try. The honoree shall be a person of proven preemi-nence in the water environment profession whosecareer has positively impacted the success and growthof these fields within the State of Texas.

2004 W. Wesley Eckenfelder, Jr., Professor

Water Environment Association of Texas LifetimeAchievement Award is presented to an individual whohas demonstrated continual and tireless contributionstoward the improvement of the water environmentthroughout a long and distinguished career in thewastewater treatment industry and in WEAT/WEF.

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients who are graduatesor faculty of the University of Texas at Austin include:

2000 Sam Warrington, BSCE 19502001 S.A. Garza, BSCE 19552002 Earnest F. Gloyna, MSCE 1949 and Professor2006 Joseph F. Malina, Jr., Professor

Several alumni of the University of Texas served asPresident of the Water Environment Federation andinclude:

1974–75 Sam Warrington, BSCE 19501983–84 Earnest F. Gloyna, MSCE 19491992–93 Charles A. Sorber, Ph.D., 1971

Other major Water Environment Federation awardsearned by faculty and alumni include:

Thomas R. Camp Medal is awarded to a member whodemonstrates a unique application of basic researchor fundamental principles through the design ordevelopment of a wastewater collection or treatmentsystem.

1997 Raymond C. Loehr, Professor

Gordon Maskew Fair Award for Worthy Accomplish-ments in the Training and Development of FutureEngineers recipients are:

1979 Earnest F. Gloyna, MSCE 19491994 Joseph F. Malina, Jr., Professor

William J. Orchard Medal recognizes an individualfor extraordinary personal service to WEF

2005 Charles A. Sorber, Ph.D., 1971

Earnest Gloyna, MSESE 1949 and UT Professor, Raj Bhattarai, MSEHE 1980, City of Austin, Davis Ford, MSEHE 1965, Ph.D. 1967, President,Davis L. Ford and Associates, Professor Wesley Eckenfelder, 2004 WEAT Pillars of the Profession Award Recipient, Alan H. Plummer, MSEHE1968, President, Alan Plummer Associates, Inc., John Mancini, UT Professor Joseph Malina, Walter Chiang, MSEHE 1970, President, Chiang,Patel & Yerby, Engineering Consultants.


Individuals who served or are serving as Chairs of TexasAWWA who are alumni of the University of Texas atAustin include:

1974 Charles K. Foster, BSCE 19501983 Thomas D. Tiner, BSPE 19581985 Glen A. Doty, BSCE 1948, MSEHE 1949 1986 James H. Bailey, BSCE 19491997 Eduardo Garana, BSCE 19692006 Charles Maddox, BSCE 1973, MSEHE 19822007 Shay Ralls Roalson, MSEHE 1999

The AWWA George Warren Fuller Award recognizes anAWWA member for distinguished service in the watersupply field and contributions made toward advance-ment of water works practice.

Fuller Award recipients who are graduates of theUniversity of Texas at Austin include:

1975 David F. Smallhorst, BSCE 19361981 Charles K. Foster, BSCE 19501982 Glen A. Doty, BSCE 1948, MSEHE 1949 1985 James H. Bailey, BSCE 19491986 Thomas D. Tiner, BSPE 19582001 Mark Lowry, MSEHE 1973

In conclusion, engineering graduates and the facultyof the environmental engineering programs at the Uni-versity of Texas at Austin have favorably impacted thequality of life of many people over the last one hun-dred years. The engineering graduates of the environ-mental and water resources engineering programs willcontinue this legacy of developing engineering solu-tions to environmental and water resources problemsin Texas, throughout the nation, and around the world.The UT EWRE program has the resources required tocontribute significantly to the development of thewater environmental engineering leadership.

References

Malina, J.F. Jr., and E.F. Gloyna (2007): “History of Environ-mental Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin,”chapter in Environmental and Water Resources Milestones inEngineering History (edited by Jerry R. Rogers), AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA.

Malina, J.F. Jr., and E.F. Gloyna (2007): “Over a Century ofEducating Sanitary/Environmental Engineers at the Univer-sity of Texas at Austin,” Proceedings, World Environmentaland Water Resources Congress 2007, American Society ofCivil Engineers, Reston, VA.

McCaslin, R.B, and E.F. Gloyna (1986): “Commitment toExcellence—One Hundred Years of Engineering Educationat the University of Texas at Austin,” The EngineeringFoundation of the College of Engineering, University ofTexas at Austin, Austin, TX.

Woolrich, W.R. (1964): “Men of Ingenuity from Beneath theOrange Tower,” The Engineering Foundation of the Collegeof Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.

James Barnard, MSEHE 1969, the invited speaker for the GloynaBreakfast at Texas Water 2005 with Bill Carroll BSCE 1970, MSEHE1972, Vice President CP&Y, Professor Joseph Malina, Walter Chiang,MSEHE 1970, President of Chiang, Patel and Yerby and Raj Bhattarai,MSEHE 1980, City of Austin.

UT Professor Joseph Malinareceiving the 2006 WEATLifetime Achievement Awardfrom WEF president Dr. M. Dakab.

Emeritus Professor Earnest F. Gloyna, MSCE 1949, and Alan PlummerMSEHE 1968, President, Alan Plummer Associates, Inc, and presenterof the WEAT Gloyna Breakfast Lecture at Texas Water 2007.

Shay Ralls RoalsonMSEHE 1999, the2007–08 TAWWAChair and CharlieMaddox BSCE 1973,MSEHE 1982, out-going TAWWA Chair(photo courtesy ofTexas Section AWWA).


Table 1. Chronology of Faculty in Sanitary/Environmental and Water Resources Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin (1888–2006)



WET Tech Talk

Activated Sludge Plant Field and Model EvaluationBy Daniel Christodoss, PhD, PE, Ricky Garrett, PE and Mike Jupe

Introduction

This paper presents results from the model capacityevaluation of an activated sludge plant at a largemunicipal wastewater treatment plant. The plant capac-ity evaluation was performed to collect data to evaluatetreatment process capacity at 80% utilization of infra-structure under normal flow conditions through theplant.

Stress Test Location and Methodology

The site of the tests was a large waste water treatmentplant designated the Waco Metropolitan Area RegionalSewer System (WMARSS). The system serves as the centralplant to treat wastewater from member cities with a totalpopulation of about 175,000 residents: Waco, Bellmead,Hewitt, Woodway, Lacy-Lakeview and Robinson.

The stress test was performed as a 3-month study ofthe conventional activated sludge wastewater plant dur-ing dry weather with a few wet weather events. Duringthe study, the entire flow was diverted through three ofthe five aeration basins and three of the four final clari-fiers. The stoichiometrical relationship of

• 1.1 lbs O2 / lb BOD, and

• 4.6 lbs O2 / lb ammonia

was maintained by adding diffusers in the three basinsto meet the total aeration demands for influent BOD,ammonia and additionally, the mixed liquor.

The stress tests lasted 24-hours per day, seven days perweek, for the three month period, at relatively stable, flowconditions. System performance was evaluated by meas-uring influent and effluent BOD, ammonia, and TSS.

Results and Discussion

The test concluded in August 2005 and is depicted inTable 1. The BOD converted to pounds per 1,000 cubicfeet of the aeration unit is shown in Figure 1 anddepicts fluctuations during the stress test. The actualpounds of BOD entering the plant from the collectionsystem during the stress test is shown in Figure 2. Theinfluent BOD, TSS, ammonia and the flow equivalent isdepicted in Figure 3 and compared to the effluent load-ing in Figure 4. The y-axis range is much smaller forFigure 4 than Figure 3 due to significant drop in influ-ent values for measured parameters during treatment.The effluent loading model shown in Figure 5, derivedfrom regression analysis of the stress test data showsconsistency between the modeled and the actual data.To obtain the model, regression analysis was performedand model equations for effluent BOD, TSS and ammo-nia were derived as a function of influent parameters tocalculate the model plot data. The stress test indicated

1-866-476-0367

>Silicon Carbide Upper and Lower Faces> Silicon Carbide Center-Rotating Face> O-Rings Viton> Viton Center Sleeve> Springs> Locking Pins> Alignment Pins

WILO EMU. Always The Best Choice In The Long Run.

wilo-emu-usa.com

RebuildEnclosed

Block Seals

Half the Priceof Buying New

Rebuild Kit Includes Order Today:[email protected]@wilo-emu.com

(Quickly & Easily)

S

Table 1. Stress test June thru August 2005

Plant Inf. Inf. Inf. Eff. Eff. Eff.Flow CBOD5 TSS NH3 CBOD5 TSS NH3

(mgd) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L)

Ave 23 220 224 16 1.4 1.4 0.16

Max 38 587 614 23 3.7 4.5 2.22

Min 20 62 116 11 0.6 0.0 0.04

Figure 1. BOD in lbs per 1,000 cubic feet of the aeration unit.


that during the 3-month study the plant was able totreat incoming BOD, TSS and ammonia loads withinthe configuration utilized for the stress test. Compari-son between the simple regression model plot andactual test data shows an acceptable fit within thelimits of experimental error. The next section providesadditional information on the plant configuration andfeatures.

Plant Components

Features of the wastewater plant include:

• Primary clarifiers to capture suspended solids, gritand scum from plant inflows

• Biological activated sludge treatment using:– Aeration basins designed to facilitate operation in

plug flow with tapered aeration, step aeration (stepfeeding), or complete mix

– Final clarifiers for removing activated sludge andscum, and dividing it into desired return activatedsludge (RAS) and Waste Activated Sludge (WAS)flows

• DAF thickeners for combined primary and waste acti-vated sludges

• Two-stage anaerobic digestion of mixed sludges withcogeneration of methane and electricity

1-866-476-0367

• Presses Into Place• Power Thread Design• Provides Absolute Seal• 4” and 6” Sizes

WILO EMU. Always The Best Choice In The Long Run.

SaveElbow SealingSurfaces

The Elbow SaverTM Fits All Makes and Models of Elbows

Four InchElbow Saver

Six InchElbow Saver

wilo-emu-usa.com

Order Today:[email protected]@wilo-emu.com

E

Figure 2. Pounds of BOD entering the plant from the collection system.

Figure 3. Influent BOD, TSS, ammonia and flow equivalent.

Figure 4. Effluent BOD, TSS, ammonia, aeration unit detention.

Figure 5. Effluent loading plot utilizing model equation derived fromstress test data.


• Two engine/generators capable of producing half theplant’s power needs.

Anaerobically digested sludge filter pressed, heatdried and pelletized (with heat from the furnace) into acommercial sized pellet with nutritional and soil condi-tioning value for agricultural use. The methane gasfrom the digesters powers the furnace to the drier unitand is blended with natural gas to conserve energy.

Operational History

The conventional activated sludge Wastewater Treat-ment Plant for the Waco Metropolitan Area RegionalSewerage System (WMARSS):

• was constructed in 1983.

• started operation in 1984 under an operating permitwhich restricted flow to a maximum 30-day averageof 37.8 MGD daily average, 47.9 mgd daily max, 83.2mgd, 2 hour peak flow, at treated effluent limits of20 mg/L BOD, and 20mg/L TSS.

• won an EPA award in 1993, for plants treating 10mgd and higher.

• had a change in the effluent limits in 1995 to 10mg/L BOD, 15 mg/L TSS and 3 mg/L NH-3 singlestage nitirification at which time, a pellet dryingfacility was added to the plant to treat digestedsludge. When the ammonia permit was issued, thefifth aeration basin was constructed to provide thebiological treatment and retain the 37.8 mgd annualaverage influent, at 250mg/L BOD and 250mg/L TSS.

• was being considered for down-rating in 2000–2004based on performance issues compounded by designand operational constraints.

Design and Operational Constraints

In 1998, the following operational problems wereidentified:

• There were inadequacies in communication betweenadministration and plant personnel.

• The plant side steams had adverse affects on theentire treatment train as a result of inadequate stan-dard operating procedures to control the effects ofthe single stage nitrification cycle and the pelletbuilding wastewater discharge.

At this time, the WMARSS staff started evaluating thetreatment system resulting in the following findings:

1) The oxygen transfer efficiency in the aeration basinswas inadequate to supply the oxygen needed for sin-gle stage nitrification. Because of an inadequatenumber of diffusers per basin, the cfm per diffuserwas past their max design and caused the diffusers toperform like coarse bubble diffusers and there wasnot enough OTE (oxygen transfer efficiency) toachieve the desired treatment. Following graphdepicts how bubble size affects oxygen transfer.

2) The anoxic zones were not mixed nor utilized effec-tively to reduce the oxygen demand through BODreduction utilizing nitrate as the substrate and alka-linity savings. Following is an introduction to nitrifi-cation and de-nitrification for clarification.

Nitrogen appears in organic wastes in various forms.In wastewater, four types of nitrogen are common: organicnitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, and nitratenitrogen. These different forms constitute the total nitro-gen content. The predominant forms of nitrogen in waste-water are organic nitrogen and ammonia (NH3). Organicnitrogen is converted to ammonia in the first step of thenitrogen cycle. In order to remove nitrogen from waste-water, ammonia must be oxidized to nitrate (NO3). Thisprocess is commonly referred to as nitrification. An oxicenvironment must be maintained for sufficient period oftime to promote nitrification.

The overall reaction of nitrification is:

NH3 ➯ NO2 ➯ NO3

Oxic conditions are maintained by a number of aera-tors. In the presence of dissolved oxygen, the microorgan-isms convert stored BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) toCO2, water, and increased cell mass. Biological nitrifica-tion occurs, producing nitrite in an intermediate step andultimately producing nitrate. Following nitrification,nitrogen can be removed from the wastewater by reducingthe nitrate to nitrogen gas (N2), which is released to theatmosphere. This process is commonly referred to as deni-trification. Denitrification requires anoxic conditions, aswell as an organic carbon source, to proceed.

NO3- ➯ NO2 ➯ NO ➯ N2O ➯ N2

nitrate nitrite nitric nitrous nitrogenoxide oxide gas

Introducing an anoxic zone into the flow scheme pro-vides de-nitrification of nitrate in the return activatedsludge from the clarifier. In this zone, operated with littleto no dissolved oxygen (DO), the endogenous oxygendemand of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) plus the

Figure 6. Bubble size versus oxygen transfer efficiency.


carryover of BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) from theprimary clarifier causes de-nitrification of the nitrate pro-duced in the aerobic zone.

During anoxic conditions, dissolved oxygen is notavailable to the microorganisms for respiration. Becauseof this, the oxygen molecules are stripped from thenitrate, causing the production of nitrogen gas (N2).Carbon dioxide and water are also produced in theprocess, which results from the degradation of BOD. Inaddition, a portion of the alkalinity consumed during thenitrification process is restored through the de-nitrificationprocess. When the mixed liquor flows to the secondaryanoxic zones, there will be a relatively small concentra-tion of extra cellular BOD in the wastewater. However,de-nitrification will still proceed since the microorganismsutilize internal storage products to reduce nitrate (endoge-nous de-nitrification). Secondary anoxic zones are notpresent at WMARSS.

3) The higher waste concentrations from the singlestage nitrification had tendencies to overload the

Figure 7. Process schematics showing anoxic-aeration and clarifiersequence.

Figure 8. System schematics influent to effluent.

subsequent sludge thickening and anaerobic diges-tion process.

4) The inadequately controlled sludge thickeningprocess adversely affected the single stage nitrifica-tion process and anaerobic digester process.

5) The pelletizing process discharged ammonia concen-trations that caused fluctuation in the nitrificationprocess, oxygen demand, chlorine demand and sul-fur dioxide demand.

6) Inadequate screening of the plants influent andsludge flow adversely affected the sludge thickeningprocess, digestion process and the pelletizing process.

The above six factors influence plant chemistry froman average BOD concentration of 250 mg/l to 350mg/L, i.e. adding a 28 percent increase in plant BODloading.

Performance Improvements

To transition from re-treating plant foul-ups and col-lection system waste, the following improvements weremade to optimize plant performance:

Secondary Treatment Improvements

• Increased the Oxygen Transfer Efficiency in four aera-tion basins.

• Automated the aeration zone valves to maintain thezones set D.O. level.

• Automated three of the blowers to start-up withadjustable loading to satisfy the biological oxygendemand.

• Installed Cipolletti weir aeration influent weirs tocontrol and balance the aeration feed rate.

• Improved the anoxic zone mixing efficiency.

• Operated four aeration basins year round to obtainan average five-hour detention time.

• Maintained a minimum 1.5 mg/L D.O. in first aera-tion zone to obtain optimal nitrifying growth rate.

Table 2. Stress test June thru August 2005 (duplicate of Table 1)

Eff. LBS- Aeration FlowPlant Inf. BOD5 Inf. TSS Inf. NH3 CBOD5 Eff. TSS Eff. NH3 BOD Detention EQ.Flow (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) entering (hrs) 37.8

Average 23.165 220.140 224.721 16.884 1.413 1.366 0.164 42,177 5.32 38.43

Max 37.781 587.000 614.000 23.000 3.730 4.500 2.220 106,155 6.20 52.33

Min 19.641 62.000 116.000 10.700 0.590 0.000 0.042 12,444 3.88 32.74

Table 3. Plant data from 2002

Eff.Plant Inf. BOD5 Inf. TSS Inf. NH3 CBOD5 Eff. TSS Eff. NH3 LBS-BOD AerationFlow (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (entering) Detention

Average 25.446 322.58 419.56 15.78 2.81 3.06 1.446 68,087 6.58

Max 66.004 644.00 1600.00 26.70 7.80 11.70 13.800 170,909 8.53

Min 19.019 103.000 54.000 6.140 1.040 0.800 0.040 17,778 2.458


• Maintained a maximum .3 mg/L D.O. in anoxic zoneto obtain optimal de-nitrifying growth rate.

• Adjusted the aeration influent Cipolletti weir daily tobalance and control the aeration basins feed rate.

• Adjusted the wasting rates by the 10 percent rule.

• Adjusted the activated sludge return rates lower tocontrol the basins F/M ratio, pounds of nitrates tothe anoxic zone with longer detention times.

Solids Processing Improvements.

• Started feeding polymer to the D.A.F. to increase thecapture rate of the unit, thus lowering the sludgeflow to the Digesters that increased their detentiontime along with lowering the BTU needed to heat theunits and lowered the run time of the Dryer unit.

• Redirected the D.A.F underflow to the solids sidefinal clarifier underflow wet well, instead of theplants under drains.

• Started up the second solids side final clarifier under-flow pump to limit the amount of solids entering theplant under drains.

• Started one of the two side stream trickling filters toreduce the BOD re-entering the plants influent.

• Installed a two-millimeter opening fine screen in thesludge flow.

• Automated the digesters feed valves to balance theunit sludge feed flow.

• Redirected the belt press filtrate water to the solidsside of the plant to reduce the ammonia concentra-tion before entering the plants influent.

At this time, effective design and operational con-trols were introduced, and plant performance improvedconsistently, and was verified by the stress test whichwas performed to evaluate treatment process capacityand efficiencies as a part of the continuous improve-ment of the treatment plant for process optimization.

The plants stress test was performed under the newstandard operating procedures (SOP) developed fromthe in-house evaluation thereby validating the SOPsand EPA’s Criteria for capacity evaluation.

The results of the stress test is now presented withcomparison to plant data in 2002 where operationalproblems were noticeable.

Comparing the data from the 2005 stress test chartto the 2002 chart there was a 38 percent reduction inBOD entering (re-entering) the plant. The stress test val-idates the corrective measures taken at the WMARSSplant to bridge the gaps in communication, operationsand process controls. The benefits from the teamworkfar out weigh the effort since subsequent to the per-formance improvements, the plant’s electrical usagedropped by 4.5 million kilowatts annually. Presently,the plant is much easier to operate and has dropped itsmidnight shift under normal conditions (not includingthe pelletizing operations) but now operates an average

of five day a week compared to the average six dayweeks which equates to a 20% reduction in workload.

The major conclusion is that the plant can now treatthe permitted flow/single stage nitrification loadingeffectively, which was established by the stress test andthe mathematical model.

Peak Flows and Flow Diversion/Satellite Plants

Peak flows during wet weather events are beingaddressed with the construction of peak storage basins.Also, as part of the I&I Program, studies have beencompleted for two sewer basins, and evaluation is inprocess to consider planning for rehabilitation.

To further reduce flows to the plant, the satelliteplant concept evaluation is in process considering twosatellite plants at strategic locations south of Waco, toprovide maximum benefit for flow diversion and cap-ture as well as to promote the potential for water reusewhile providing new wastewater treatment infrastruc-ture for selected cities in the watershed.

Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank the WMARSS Staff for theirtireless efforts in making this 3-month study possible.

About the Author(s)

Ricky Garrett is the Director of Utilities and MikeJupe the Wastewater Plant Program Administrator at theCity of Waco Utility Services Department (Tel: 254-750-8040). Daniel Christodoss served as the Program Man-ager for Water Distribution, Wastewater Collection andTreatment at the City of Waco during this study. He ispresently a project manager at Alan Plummer Associ-ates, Inc. in Fort Worth (Tel: 817-806-1700).

2007

July 1 WEF Quarter Century Operators’ Club deadline

July 15 Bob Derrington Scholarship Fund deadline

July 20 Central Texas WEAT and Capital AreaChapter of TAWWA “Casino Night,” Austin, TX

July 20 North Texas Section Annual Picnic, TBA

August 27–28 CMOM Workshop, Austin, TX

September 6–7 Biosolids/Odor and CorrosionConference and Expo, San Antonio, TX

Oct. 13–17 WEFTEC.07, San Diego, CA

Oct. 14 WEAT Executive Board Meeting, SanDiego, CA

Oct. 15 Texas Reception, San Diego, CA

Nov. 1 WEF MA Awards and WEAT Awards deadline

Calendar of Events


Houston-Area Student Wins 2007 SJWP Competition!The 2007 Texas State Stockholm Junior Water Prize

(SJWP) winners were selected on May 1, 2007. Thepurpose of the SJWP competition is to increase stu-dents’ interest in water-related issues and research, andto sensitize them—as future leaders—to global waterchallenges. The competition is open to projects aimedat improving quality of life through improvementof water quality, water resources management, waterprotection, and water and wastewater treatment.Competitors at the state level must have won first placein their regional fair in order to qualify for the statecompetition.

SJWP winners were determined by a panel of well-known water professionals from across the state ofTexas. These judges represent different facets of thewater environment, as well as different geographicalareas. These dedicated folks deserve a special thank youfor contributing their time and expertise in support ofthe science fair program. The judges for 2007 include:

• Mary Evans, City of Tyler• Raj Bhattarai, City of Austin• Cande Hurn, City of Lubbock• Judy Musgrove, City of Austin• Dennis Laskowski, SAWS• Jody Zabolio, Upper Trinity Regional Water District• Mike Tidwell, Mike Tidwell & Associates

There were a total of six regional winners competingfor the state crown this year. When the final votes weretallied, the first place winner was from the Houstonarea for a second consecutive year.

First place was claimed by Ms. Helen D’Couto, fromClear Lake High School, Houston, Texas. Ms. D’Coutopresented her research project titled “Removal of HeavyMetal Water Pollutants, Lead and Cadmium, UsingMagnetite Nanoparticles.” Her project explored thepossibility of removing lead and cadmium by adsorp-tion on nanosized magnetite particles. Following theNational Competition in June, a copy of Helen’s paperwill be available for review online in the U.S. SJWPResearch Journal. As the first place winner, she receivesa $250 prize, a commemorative plaque, and travelexpenses to Phoenix, Arizona, June 21–23, to representthe State of Texas at the U.S. National Stockholm JuniorWater Prize Competition.

Second place was won by Ms. Amber Metzner, fromSeguin High School in Seguin, Texas. Ms. Metzner wasthe third place winner in the 2006 competition. Herresearch project was titled “Don’t Bug Me: A WaterQuality Study Based Upon Macroinvertebrate andChemical Analysis, A Second Year Study.” Ms. Metzner’sresearch was focused on determining the overall waterquality in Jeronimo Creek by means of macroinverte-brate and chemical testing on the creek. Ms. Metznerreceived a $100 cash prize and a plaque to commemo-rate her win.

Third place was won by Ms. Jenna Kromann, fromJames Bowie High School in Austin, Texas. Her researchproject was titled “The Effects of Drought on the Salin-ity Zone in the Edwards Aquifer.” Ms. Kromannresearched the impact of the extended drought onsalinitiy levels in the Edwards Aquifer. Ms. Kromannwill receive a $50 cash prize and a commemorativeplaque.

The local WEAT Sections organize the award presen-tations for each of the winners. The first place winner,Ms. D’Couto, was presented her award at a luncheonhosted by WEAT Section 9 Officers Dr. Bob Hill, Ms.Lindsay Pierce, and Ms. Naomi Azulai.

Presentation of the2nd place SJWP toAmber Metzner atthe Segiun ISD BoardMeeting, along withAlissa Shackelfordand DennisLaskowski from SanAntonio section.


All Things YP

By Heather Harris and Trooper Smith

WEAT has a great university student turnout everyyear at the Texas Water Conference. If you are wonder-ing how many WEAT Student Chapters have beenestablished, there is only one: Texas Tech University. Topromote the development of Student Chapters acrossthe state, we are dedicating this month’s article to thatcause.

There are three main steps in the process of develop-ing your WEAT Student Chapter:

1. Establish the Student Chapter

a. Meet with the faculty and students and review theWEF Constitution and Bylaws.

b. Develop a plan of action

i. Designate President, VP, Treasurer, Secretaryand the main representative faculty member. Inaddition, make a list of all other student mem-bers. GOAL: 10 students . . . to keep the stu-dent chapter going when the student officersgraduate and move on.

ii. Write a letter to the current WEAT Presidentexplaining your plan of action: “We want toestablish a WEAT Student Chapter. To do so, weplan on . . .”

iii. Establish the chapter’s constitution and by-laws[you can use Texas Tech’s as an example].

c. Have an officer from your Member Association(WEAT) send a letter to the Student President ofthe Student Chapter acknowledging their approvalof the chapter along with a list of the chaptermembers and counselor/advisor to WEF andrequest that the chapter be nominated to receivean official Charter from WEF (Step 2). To get thisaccomplished, we recommend that you send thecurrent WEAT President a plan of action (men-tioned above), so he can write this letter. To make

it easier, you can also send him an electronic fileof his “return” letter so he can make simple edits,print it, sign the document and return it to theStudent President.

d. The main goal in Step 1 is to establish the StudentChapter through WEAT. If you want to accomplishStep 2 by WEFTEC 2008, then we recommend sub-mitting the information to WEAT in time beforethe July 27 board meeting.

2. Get a WEF Charter . . . not chapter, but charter. Thisis a framed document from WEF officially recogniz-ing the student chapter.

a. Select a name for the student chapter.

b. Choose a counselor/advisor from WEF.

c. Recruit Members (already done in Step 1).

d. Develop a Constitution & By-Laws (Already donein Step 1).

e. Receive Chapter approval by the Member Associa-tion (WEAT, already done in Step 1)

f. Send all the information in Step 2 to WEF so theyreceive it no later than August 15th.

3. Present the WEF Charter to the New Student Chapter

a. Most of the “charter” business will be conductedbehind doors at WEFTEC during their annualmeeting. Once the Charter is established and theframed document is complete, it can be presentedto the student chapter. This will not occur atWEFTEC.

b. You can have the charter presented to the studentchapter at a subsequent WEAT Meeting some-where closer to the university. That way, the stu-dent chapter can be formally introduced to theirlocal section.

The bottom line is that the students will be the onesdriving the train to start their student chapter. YoungProfessional Section Representatives and Co-Chairs arehere to assist them and guide them in the right direc-tion, but they will be the ones assigning officers, writ-ing their constitution and bylaws, writing a letter toWEAT and assembling their packet for WEF.

If you would like more information on how to starta WEAT Student Chapter or have any questions aboutbeing part of the WEAT Young Professionals, please feelfree to contact Heather Harris ([email protected]) or Trooper Smith ([email protected]), yourWEAT YP Co-Chairs. We look forward to seeing every-one throughout the year!

conference. WEAT is looking for funding to defraypart of the five teams’ travel cost to San Diego forWEFTEC’07. I call on our entire membership to con-tribute generously to the WEAT Operations Challengefund so that our operators can represent WEAT andshine at the international level. Please contact JohnBennett ([email protected]; 817-430-4657), Cheryl Smith ([email protected]; 512-693-0060) or me([email protected]; 512-972-0075), if youwould like to contribute.

President’s Message, from page 4


The U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency, Region 6, Water Quality Protec-tion Division, has developed and distrib-

uted the DVD/Video “Water Security—An Operator’sPerspective” to Region 6 Wastewater Treatment Plants(WWTP). This project has been funded throughRegional Applied Research Effort (RARE) grants andawarded to National Environmental, Safety and HealthTraining Association (NESHTA). The objective of thisproject was to develop a DVD/Video for the WWTPoperators to show the importance of VulnerabilityAssessment (VA) and Emergency Response Plan (ERP)and to emphasize that a VA and ERP are feasible on asmall budget and can be conducted by wastewater treat-ment plant personnel.

The DVD/Video provides important steps and infor-mation to assist WWTP operators in protecting thisessential part of a municipality’s infrastructure. TheDVD/Video promotes taking a pro-active approach andprovides real-life examples of how WWTP operatorshave developed emergency response plans, specificto each municipality, to address emergency situations.EPA believes that this product may provide useful in-formation for emergency preparedness in-light of ourrecent experiences with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.EPA also believes that this DVD/Video will help the

Coming To Your Mailbox: Wastewater DVD/Video

‘Water Security—An Operator’s Perspective’WWTP personnel to operate and maintain their systemsas close to normal (even during such emergencies),minimize the impact on the plant’s operation, helpprevent upsets, and reduce overflows from the WWTPor lift stations. There are approximately 2,248 waste-water treatment plants (major and minor) in Region 6.

The product is in DVD-ROM format, containing awastewater video and additional data files. The datafiles contain five folders as follows:

1) An introduction from Miguel I. Flores, Director, EPARegion 6 Water Quality Protection Division

2) A 97-page booklet: Protecting Your Community’sAssets: A Guide for Wastewater Systems

3) A flowchart for Vulnerability Assessment andEmergency Response Plan development

4) A written transcript of the video5) A listing of wastewater security web resources.

If you have any questions regarding this video,please feel free to contact Syed Shahriyar, Region 6Wastewater Security Coordinator, at 214-665-2783, orDebora Browning, Partnerships and CommunicationsCoordinator, at 214-665-8025.

WEAT Committees Accepting New Members

WEAT has recently evaluated and modified the com-mittee structure for the benefit of our members! Themost noteworthy change is the creation of multipleknowledge committees. WEAT would like the knowl-edge committees to become more active in influencingthe direction of technical areas within Texas. The com-mittees are empowered to take ownership of their mis-sions. Some of the activities of knowledge committeescould include:

• Reviewing abstracts for Texas Water,• Assisting with planning and delivery of specialty

conferences, • Selection of technical papers for publication in Texas

WET, and• Providing input on legislative issues to the WEAT

Executive Director.

Volunteering on a WEAT committee is an opportu-nity for you to help shape the water quality industrytoday and for tomorrow. There is a committee for everyWEAT member.

If you are interested in joining a committee, pleasecheckout the WEAT website (www.weat.org) and con-tact the chair for the committee you would like to join.



2008 WEAT and WEF AwardsState-Level Nominations

Nomination Deadline: November 1, 2007

WEF Arthur Sidney Bedell Award acknowl-edges extraordinary personal service to theMember Association (WEAT). WEF George W. Burke, Jr., Award recognizesmunicipal and industrial wastewater facilities foractive and effective safety programs. WEF William D. Hatfield Award recognizesoperators of wastewater treatment plants foroutstanding performance and professionalism.WEF Laboratory Analyst Excellence Awardrecognizes individuals for outstanding per-formance, professionalism, and contributionsto the water quality analysis profession.WEAT Lifetime Achievement Award recognizesa current or past WEAT member who has demon-strated continual and tireless contributions towardthe improvement of the water environmentthroughout a long and distinguished career in thewastewater treatment industry and in WEAT/WEF.WEAT Pillars of the Profession Award recog-nizes an individual with a long and distinguishedcareer in the wastewater treatment or water qualityindustry who has demonstrated meaningful andsubstantial contributions toward the improvementof the water environment and who has had a posi-tive impact on the success and growth of WEAT.WEAT Municipal Wastewater TreatmentPlant of the Year Award acknowledges amunicipal wastewater treatment plant in Texasthat has consistently exhibited outstandingperformance of daily activities beyond the normalcall of duty.WEAT Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plantof the Year Award acknowledges an industrialwastewater treatment plant in Texas that hasconsistently exhibited outstanding performanceof daily activities beyond the normal call of duty.WEAT Outstanding Operator of the YearAward recognizes a wastewater treatment plantoperator (municipal and/or industrial) in the Stateof Texas who has demonstrated outstanding pro-fessionalism at his/her facility and has performed

his/her duties tirelessly and with dedication to thebetterment of the water environment.WEAT Medal of Honor for Heroism is pre-sented to an individual (or group of individuals)from the State of Texas who has demonstratedexceptional courage and bravery in the perform-ance of a single act of heroic behavior involvingthe water environment industry.WEAT Sidney L. Allison Award recognizes aperson (or entity) who has made significant con-tributions to the engineering, science, and/oroperation and maintenance of wastewater collec-tion and pumping stations with the mission totransport wastewater to a treatment plant.WEAT Winfield S. Mahlie Award recognizesa person who has made significant contributionsto the art and science of wastewater treatment andwater pollution control.WEAT T. L. Satterwhite Award recognizes anindividual, an engineering firm, or an industrialentity for the development of a solution to anindustrial wastewater treatment problem.WEAT Ronald B. Sieger Biosolids Manage-ment Award recognizes a WEAT member(s), anengineering firm, a specific project, a municipality,or a specific municipal or industrial facility thathas made significant accomplishments in the fieldof biosolids technology and management practiceswithin the boundaries of the State of Texas.(Special deadline January 15, 2007)WEAT Emerging Leader Award recognizesa young WEAT member who has providedoutstanding service in support of WEAT.WEAT Exemplary Employer Award recognizesTexas employers that support and facilitateemployee involvement and activities within theWEAT and WEF organizations.WEAT Award for Excellence in Environmen-tal Policy and Regiations recognizes an electedofficial or regulator who actively promotes soundscience in environmental policy and regulations.

Full criteria for all awards may be found atwww.weat.org. For further information andassistance with submitting a nomination,please contact:

WEAT Awards CommitteeAttn: Bob Hill, ChairEMA, Inc.1100 Chateau Woods ParkwayConroe, Texas 77385Phone: 281-300-8367E-Mail: [email protected]


P R O F E S S I O N A L D I R E C T O R Y

LIMEAUSTIN WHITE LIME COMPANYChemical, Building and Stabilization Lime

Austin, Texas

800-553-LIME

Advertising inTexas WET Works!

Contact Bill Goloby (713) [email protected]

This spot • $295 • One Year • Six Issues

Kathy J. BellArp, TX

James W. BlackCity of HewittHewitt, TX

Robert BolenEnnis Municipal OfficeEnnis, TX

Kevin BoyerPoolsureHouston, TX

John BurkeAqua Water Supply Corporation

Bastrop, TX

Thiago CamposVernon, TX

Terry L. ConnSan Antonio, TX

Deven L. DoyenChina, TX

Glenda R. DunnCity of WacoWaco, TX

Edward Frank GelsoneBuda, TX

Denny GivensEspey Consultants, Inc.Austin, TX

Pete GutirrezPencco, Inc.Ennis, TX

Randel JuarezTrinity River AuthorityArlington, TX

Kraig KahlerWeatherford Municipal Utilities

Weatherford, TX

James L. KingCity of MarshallMarshall, TXSponsor: Mary Evans

Dennis C. LivingstonAustin, TX

Cameron J. McCrawKlotz Associates, Inc.Houston, TX

Paul McNeillSealy, TX

Chris MillsInternational Filter SolutionsMarion, TX

Lyle MilsteadEnvironmental Improvements, Inc.

Houston, TX

John MontgomeryNorth Texas Municipal Water District

Wylie, TX

Larry MorrowFMC TechnologiesStephenville, TX

Daniel R. ObenourAustin, TX

James PatekParsons Inc.Austin, TX

Tina M. PetersenUniversity of HoustonHouston, TX

Jody PuckettCity of Dallas Water UtilitiesDallas, TX

Jennifer Jie QinAustin, TX

John RichardsonEnvironmental Improvement Inc.

Houston, TX

Adam RoseFreese & NicholsFort Worth, TX

Bob SloanTotal Separation Solution, LLCHouston, TX

Bruce TaylorUniversity of TexasCorpus Christi, TX

David TerrillAustin, TX

William S. TerrellHartwell Environmental Corp.Arlington TX

Damon TippingRain for RentArlington, TX

Paul TuckerCity of McKinneyMcKinney, TX

Liyun Xie-ShenSugar Land, TX

Ping ZhouCDMHouston, TX

WEAT Welcomes New Members for May and June 2007

P R O F E S S I O N A L D I R E C T O R Y

Rosemount Eastech-Badger Drager Royce Instruments Mobrey Hydro

Flow Level Pressure Analytical Service Training

Mud InstrumentsMunicipal &

Environmental Solutionswww.mudinstruments.com

Office (281) 421-1864Fax (281) 421-5785Cell (281) 797-2887

10902 David LaneCrosby, Texas 77532


Water Environment Association of Texas

Mission StatementThe Water Environment Association of Texas is an open association of water environmental professionals,practitioners and operations specialists with a broad range of expertise working together to:

1 Meet the needs of its members for professional growth and development;2 Educate the public on water environmental issues;3 Benefit society through protection and enhancement of the water environment.

Executive CommitteePresidentRaj Bhattarai512-972-0075President-ElectBrad Castleberry512-322-5800Vice-PresidentBetty Jordan817-284-2724SecretaryJody Zabolio972-219-1228TreasurerDavid Briggs512-346-1100Member-at-largeSteve Clouse210-233-3774WEF DirectorRichard Eason512-261-6222, Ext. 14WEF DirectorFoster Crowell361-826-1801Past WEF DirectorRon Mayo972-387-3339Executive DirectorCarol Batterton830-990-1029HistorianJoe King972-735-3000Past PresidentPaul Roach214-638-0500PWO RepresentativeJohn Bennett817-430-4657

Knowledge CommitteeChairsAir Quality & Odor ControlChris Quigley512-453-2468, Ext.225Biosolids ManagementLynne Moss512-346-1100

Collection SystemsLeigh Cerda(214) 346-6345Electrical, Instrumentation & ControlsV.K. Gupta972-490-7661 EnvironmentalManagement SystemsDavid James512-239-3184Ethics EducationRobert McMillon817-277-7591Ground WaterAndrew Chastain-Howley817-335-5408Industrial Waste & PretreatmentAndrew Jackson806-742-2801LaboratoryPaul Baumgardner806-353-7798Municipal Waste TreatmentWalter Chiang214-638-0500Operations & MaintenanceCurtis Smalley254-495-8482SafetyKim Lutz512-341-3333StormwaterHeather Harris512-453-2468Utility ManagementSteve Clouse210-233-3774Water ReuseAlan Plummer817-806-1700Wastershed ManagementJennifer Benaman, Ph.D.512-707-0090, Ext. 12

Delivery CommitteeChairsAwardsBob Hill281-367-3556

Manufacturers & RepsNita Bailey936-539-1747Ops ChallengeJohn Bennett817-430-4657Professional DevelopmentBetty Jordan817-284-2724PublicationsRichard Eason512-261-6222, Ext. 14ScholarshipCathy Henderson Sieger972-262-5186Specialty ConferenceRandy Bush214-360-9929Texas Water SteeringRaj Bhattarai512-972-0075

StakeholdersCommittee ChairsGovernment AffairsRebecca Cobos512-322-3663Public EducationKaren Bick214-665-7539Young Professionals(co-chairs)Heather Harris512-453-2468Trooper Smith214-217-2219YP Texas Water University ForumBill Rixey713-743-4279YP Student SectionsJody Zabolio972-219-1228

ManagementCommittee ChairsAdministrationRaymond Longoria214-217-2252Audit & BudgetOpen position

BylawsDavid Jackson817-735-7300Committee LeadershipCouncilJennafer Covington972-980-2188Management ReviewRaymond Longoria214-217-2252MembershipJennafer Covington972-980-2188NominatingPaul Roach214-638-0500Strategic PlanningBrad Castleberry512-322-5800

Liaisons CommitteeChairsTAWWABrad Castleberry512-322-5800InternationalRon Carlson817-392-4979Texas Water ManagementEsther Harrah210-233-3706WERFRichard Eason512-261-6222, Ext. 14Water For PeoplePhil Spitzer214-346-2800Texas Water ForumCarolyn Ahrens Wieland512-472-3263TWUARaymond Longoria214-217-2252TWRFRichard Eason512-261-6222, Ext. 14

217 Rules SeminarDraws a Crowd

Left: Raj Bhattarai, WEAT President.Above: Carol Batterson, WEAT Executive Director.

Photos by Richard Eason

www.siemens.com/water Tel: 800-841-1550 email: [email protected]

Update Retrofit Renovate

Water Technologies

We Can Put ThoseImprovements Within Your Reach.

When it’s time to expand capacity or meetstricter regulations, the Siemens team has thetechnology and know-how to save you timeand money. Siemens has the industry’s mostcomprehensive scope of options, as well asthe field-support teams to follow through oneach and every detail.

Just give us a call and we’ll give you a hand.

R

Documents

First Place SJWP Winner from Houston, Texas