Introduction to Environmental Engineering - Chapter 1 Notes

Chapter 1: Introduction

• What is Environmental Engineering?

  • A profession that applies mathematics and science to understand and manipulate properties of matter and sources of energy to address environmental sanitation problems.
  • Core goals include:
  • Safe, palatable, and ample public water supplies.
  • Proper disposal of or recycling of wastewater and solid wastes.
  • Adequate drainage of urban and rural areas for sanitation.
  • Control of water, soil, and atmospheric pollution, plus consideration of social and environmental impacts of these solutions.
  • It also concerns engineering problems in public health, such as:
  • Arthropod-borne diseases prevention and control.
  • Elimination of industrial health hazards.
  • Provision of adequate sanitation in urban, rural, and recreational areas.
  • Consideration of the effects of technological advances on the environment.

• Professional Development

  • Pathways include:
  • Baccalaureate degree in engineering (environmental or civil).
  • Engineer in Training (EIT) title after completing the Fundamentals in Engineering (FE) examination.
  • Professional Engineer (PE) title after ~4 years of applicable engineering experience and successful completion of the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam.
  • Examinations and organizations:
  • FE and PE are administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).
  • The title “Board of Certified Environmental Engineer” (BCEE) may be achieved after 8 years of experience plus a written exam or 16 years of experience plus an oral exam, administered by the American Academy of Environmental Engineering (AAEE).

• Professions and Professionalism

  • Environmental engineers are professionals—more than merely being in a profession.
  • True professionals pursue their learned art in a spirit of public service.
  • Characteristics of professional practice:
  • Decisions are based on general principles, theories, and propositions that do not depend on the particular case at hand.
  • Decisions require knowledge in a specific area in which the person is an expert.
  • The professional is an expert only in their own field, not in everything.
  • Relations with clients are objective and independent of personal sentiments.
  • Professional status and financial reward come from accomplishment and inherent qualities, not from birth order, race, religion, sex, age, or union membership.
  • Decisions are on behalf of the client and should be independent of self-interest.
  • The professional belongs to a voluntary association of professionals and accepts the authority of peers as a sanction on behavior.

• The Client-Professional Relationship and Ethics

  • A professional’s superior knowledge creates client vulnerability.
  • The client retains significant authority and responsibility for decision making.
  • The professional supplies ideas, information, and proposes actions; the client’s judgment and consent are required.
  • This vulnerability necessitates a strong code of ethics to protect the client and the public.
  • Codes of ethics are enforced through the professional’s peer group.

• Professional Codes of Ethics

  • Civil engineering provides the foundation for environmental engineering ethics.
  • The Fundamentals of Engineering Supplied-Reference Handbook (NCEES) is a key resource.
  • Link: NCEES website for codes and standards.

• Ethos and Ethics

  • Ethos is the Greek word from which “ethic” is derived.
  • Ethos means the character of a person as described by their actions.

• Environmental Ethics

  • The acceptable system is one in which we share exhaustible resources and balance needs with replenishable materials.
  • Requires reducing needs and using replenishable materials.
  • Real-world problems present distinct challenges.

• Engineering Dimensions and Units

  • The FE exam uses the metric system; currently the exam is entirely metric in the long run, though some problems may be metric and US customary units (USCU).
  • Key metric units mentioned:
  • Mass: $m = ext{g}$
  • Volume: $V = ext{L}, ext{m}^3$
  • Length: $L = ext{m}$
  • Common environmental engineering units and abbreviations:
  • acre-ft (ac-ft)
  • Btu
  • cfs (cubic feet per second)
  • gal (US gallon)
  • gpm (US gallons per minute)
  • gpcd (US gallons per capita per day)
  • hp (horsepower)
  • MGD (million gallons per day)
  • ppb (parts per billion by mass)
  • mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram)
  • ppm (parts per million by mass)
  • ppm (v/v) (volume fraction, parts per million by volume)
  • psi (pounds per square inch)
  • sf (square feet)
  • US ton (2000 lbm)

• Table 1-2: U.S. Customary System conversions (representative values)

  • 1 acre (ac) = 43{,}560 ft^2
  • 1 acre-ft = 43{,}560 ft^3 = 1.233 imes 10^6 L = 325{,}851 gal (US)
  • 1 Btu = energy unit (context-dependent) (refer to conversion tables in FE handbook)
  • 1 cfs = 0.0283168 m^3/s
  • 1 gal = 3.78541 L
  • 1 gpm = 0.0630902 L/s ≈ 6.309 imes 10^{-5} m^3/s
  • 1 hp = 745.7 W
  • 1 MGD = 1{,}000{,}000 gal/day ≈ 3.785 imes 10^6 L/day
  • 1 ppb = 1 µg/kg (approximate relation for water)
  • 1 mg/kg = 1 ppm (mass/mass) in water
  • 1 psi = 6894.76 Pa
  • 1 US ton = 2000 lbm

• Table 1-3: Total fresh water withdrawals for public supply (Lpcd = liters per capita per day)

  • Wet climate states (example values):
  • Connecticut: 680 Lpcd
  • Michigan: 598 Lpcd
  • New Jersey: 465 Lpcd
  • Ohio: 571 Lpcd
  • Pennsylvania: 543 Lpcd
  • Average: 571 Lpcd
  • Dry climate states (example values):
  • Nevada: 1{,}450 Lpcd
  • New Mexico: 698 Lpcd
  • Utah: 926 Lpcd
  • Average: 1{,}025 Lpcd
  • Source: Kenny et al., 2009; Lpcd = liters per capita per day

• Factors influencing water consumption

  • Climate (see Table 1-3 for climate effects)
  • Industrial activity increases per-capita water demand
  • Meterage drives responsibility; water price is important for large-volume users
  • System management: well-managed distribution tends to lower per-capita consumption
  • Standard of living: higher living standards generally increase per-capita water use

• Table 1-4: Variation in per-capita water consumption (examples)

  • Location: Lansing, MI; East Lansing, MI; Michigan State University
  • Lpcd and breakdown by sector (approximate interpretation):
  • Lansing: Lpcd ≈ 512; Industry ≈ 14%; Commercial ≈ 32%; Residential ≈ 54%
  • East Lansing: Lpcd ≈ 310; Industry ≈ 0%; Commercial ≈ 10%; Residential ≈ 90%
  • Michigan State University: Lpcd ≈ 271; Industry ≈ 0%; Commercial ≈ 1%; Residential ≈ 99%

• Water Disposal Subsystem

  • Safe disposal of human wastes is essential for public health
  • Disposal goals:
  • No contamination of drinking water supplies
  • No public health hazard via vectors (rodents, insects) that may contact water or food
  • No hazard to children via exposure
  • Compliance with water pollution and sewage-disposal regulations
  • No pollution of beaches, shellfish habitats, streams used for drinking water or recreation
  • No nuisance due to odor or unsightly appearance
  • If no community sewer system exists, on-site disposal (approved method, e.g., septic tank) is mandatory

• Wastewater management subsystem

  • Components include: Industrial wastewater and Domestic sewage
  • Typical daily wastewater flow shows variations by time of day
  • Wastewater flow pathway:
  • On-site Processing → Wastewater Collection → Transmission and Pumping → Treatment → Disposal or Reuse

• Sewers and wastewater treatment (WWTP)

  • Types of sewers:
  • Sanitary sewer: carries municipal wastewater from homes/commercial establishments to treatment facilities
  • Storm sewer: handles excess rainwater to prevent flooding and discharges to water bodies
  • Combined sewer: historically carried both wastewater and stormwater; being replaced in the US
  • Pumping arrangements:
  • If gravity flow is not feasible or trenches are too deep, sewage may be pumped via lift stations
  • Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP):
  • Treats to stabilize wastewater to reduce putrescibility
  • Treated effluent may discharge to a receiving body (ocean, lake, river) or be disposed of in/used by the ground or for reuse
  • Sludge must be disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner
  • Federal regulation: municipal wastewater systems are referred to as Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW)

• Air Resource Management System

  • Air is not easily treated at the source; unlike water, we cannot arbitrarily treat air to remove contaminants
  • Balance of cost and benefit to achieve a desired air quality is termed air resource management
  • Rationale for air quality programs (defensible reasons):
  • Air quality has deteriorated and needs correction
  • Potential future problems are foreseen as significant

• Air Quality and management framework

  • Goals, benefits, and evaluation depend on societal effects on physical atmosphere, animals, people, vegetation, materials, and economy
  • Key components include:
  • Air quality monitoring
  • Atmospheric diffusion and chemical reactions modeling
  • Emissions source inventory
  • Computed pollution levels
  • Regulations enforcement
  • Urban planning considerations
  • Diagrammatic view includes: Emissions sources → Monitoring → Diffusion/Modeling → Regulations → Enforcement and Urban Planning

• Solid Waste Management System

  • General approach historically treated solid waste as a disposal problem rather than a resource to be recovered
  • Landfill pressures and a 1980s crisis given in historical context; improvement due to expanded capacity and recycling efforts
  • Multimedia interactions: e.g., incineration creates air pollution that must be controlled to avoid water pollution via scrubbing
  • Key lessons:
  • Avoid overly simplistic models; use multimedia or multi-disciplinary approaches for environmental problems
  • Best solution: waste minimization—if waste is not produced, there is nothing to treat or dispose of
  • Solid waste system components: Waste generation → Transfer and transport → Storage → Collection → Disposal → Processing and recovery

• Environmental Legislation and Regulation: Acts and Regulation

  • Bills and acts:
  • A proposed law is a Bill (e.g., S. 2649 or H.R. 5959) with a title such as the Safe Drinking Water Act
  • Acts may be organized under multiple Titles
  • Often an act directs agencies (e.g., EPA) to implement actions like setting contaminant limits
  • Legislative process (summary):
  • A bill is considered by committee; if approved, it is reported out to the full Senate or House
  • If passed by both houses, a joint committee forms a single bill for action by both chambers
  • If approved by both, it goes to the president to sign or veto; signing makes it a law (e.g., Public Law 99-339)
  • The United States Statutes at Large and the United States Code (U.S.C.)
  • Statutes at Large: annual compilation of laws, resolutions, and proclamations; numbers are chronological and subject-based order may vary
  • U.S. Code: compiled set of laws in force; current session uses titles and sections (e.g., 42 U.S.C. § 6901)
  • Titles of the U.S. Code do not necessarily align with the enacted Acts
  • Table 1-5: U.S. Code titles and sections of environmental interest
  • Examples include: Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Air Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, etc. (listed with corresponding titles and section ranges)

• Regulations and Rulemaking

  • Rulemaking is the formal process agencies follow under congressional directives
  • Steps include:
  • Publication of a proposed rule in the Federal Register with the rationale (preamble) and the proposed rule, followed by public comments
  • Annual codification of finalized rules in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) on the July 1st cycle
  • Example citation format: 40 CFR 280 (Title 40, Part 280)

• Table 1-6: CFR Title numbers of environmental interest (selected examples)

  • Title 7: Agriculture (soil conservation)
  • Title 10: Energy (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
  • Title 16: Aeronautics and Space (noise)
  • Title 14: Conservation
  • Title 16: Highways (noise)
  • Title 23: Housing and Urban Development (noise)
  • Title 24: Labor (noise)
  • Title 29: Mineral Resources (surface mining reclamation)
  • Title 30: Navigation and Navigable Waters (wetlands and dredging)
  • Title 33: Protection of the Environment (EPA)
  • Title 40: Public Health and Welfare
  • Title 42: Public Lands: Interior
  • Title 42: Transportation (hazardous waste)
  • Title 46: Wildlife and Fisheries
  • Title 49: Transportation (aviation safety and related topics)
  • Note: CFR entries correspond to various specific regulations; cross-referencing to the particular subparts is common in practice

• Summary of key takeaways

  • Environmental engineering integrates science, technology, and ethics to protect public health and the environment.
  • Professional development and ethics are central to the field, with formal codes and peer enforcement.
  • A systemic, multimedia approach is essential for solving environmental problems (water, air, and solid waste systems are interrelated).
  • Units, conversions, and regulatory frameworks are foundational for analysis, design, and compliance.
  • Legislation and regulation operate through a multi-step process from bill to law, with the U.S. Code and CFR forming the backbone of enforceable standards.

• Quick reference formulas and constants (selected)

  • 1 ac-ft = 43{,}560 ft^3 = 1.233 imes 10^6 L = 325{,}851 gal (US)
  • 1 gal = 3.78541 L
  • 1 gpm = 0.0630902 L/s = 6.309 imes 10^{-5} m^3/s
  • 1 ft^3 = 0.0283168 m^3
  • 1 hp = 745.7 W
  • 1 psi = 6894.76 Pa
  • 1 Btu = 1.055 imes 10^3 J
  • 1 MGD = 1{,}000{,}000 gal/day ≈ 3.785 imes 10^6 L/day
  • 1 ppm ≈ 1 mg/kg (water context)
  • 1 ppb ≈ 1 µg/kg (water context)

• Notes for exam preparation

  • Be able to describe the scope of environmental engineering and its relation to public health.
  • Understand the difference between single-medium problems (water, air, solid waste individually) and multimedia problems that cross media boundaries.
  • Memorize common units and conversions, especially those used in drinking water and wastewater design (Lpcd, MGD, ac-ft, gpm, ft^3, etc.).
  • Be familiar with the key Acts and how regulations flow from bills to law, and how the CFR codifies regulation.
  • Recognize the roles of processes and facilities: WWTPs, POTWs, lift stations, landfills, incineration with pollution controls, and air quality control measures.

• Connections to broader themes

  • The material emphasizes the systems approach to environmental engineering, integrating water, air, and solid waste management with legislative, ethical, and socio-economic contexts.
  • Ethical considerations are foregrounded as essential to professional practice and public protection.
  • Real-world relevance includes urban planning, resource management, and the balance between development and sustainability.

• Optional cross-references (to deepen understanding)

  • Fundamentals in Engineering (FE) Handbook and NCEES resources for ethics and professional conduct.
  • The role of POTW in municipal wastewater infrastructure and public health.
  • Relationship between per-capita water use, climate, living standards, and industrial activity in planning water resources.

• Note on structure

  • The notes above cover content across pages 3–32 of the transcript, focusing on definitions, professional practice, ethics, units, water resource systems, environmental management, and regulatory frameworks. They can be used to guide focused study on each subsection for the exam.