Wastewater engineers design, maintain and repair wastewater treatment systems, including sewage and septic systems, using computer-aided design and other technological tools. They must comply with government regulations and have at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering, with many obtaining a master’s degree. The profession has a long history dating back to ancient Rome.
A wastewater engineer performs a variety of tasks related to the design, maintenance, and repair of wastewater treatment systems. This can include anything from drains and pipes to chemical treatment plants. Professionals work to safely dispose of used water, treat it properly, and dispose of it safely. In more developed cities, this involves sewage systems; in more rural areas, it usually involves septic systems. Wastewater engineering is a sub-discipline of the broader field of environmental engineering, which includes other areas such as solid waste management, pollution prevention and ecology.
A wastewater engineer must be able to conceptualize and practically evaluate residential sewers, septic systems and water treatment centers in order to design, implement and maintain them. Professionals work to design and maintain systems that handle large amounts of wastewater, establishing efficient and effective processes to detoxify it and remove harmful by-products from raw sewage before sending it back into the waterways. Newer systems are increasingly dependent on computer-aided design (CAD) and other technological tools, and virtually all sewer systems are monitored by computers. Therefore, technological knowledge is an increasingly important asset among wastewater engineers.
Careers in wastewater engineering can be in the public or private sector. State and local governments often have their own wastewater departments, but many outsource the work to private contractors. Regardless of whether they are employed by a private company or a municipality, wastewater engineers must be familiar with and ensure that their projects comply with applicable government regulations, which inevitably vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
A wastewater engineer must have at least a bachelor’s degree in some engineering field. Engineers looking to enter the profession usually need to obtain at least a master’s degree. The costs of this education are often worth it, however, as wastewater specialists can earn a lot of money over the course of a career. Most fields require engineers of all stripes to be licensed or certified, which, along with the existence of professional associations, lends a degree of job security to the career.
The job of managing wastewater has changed dramatically throughout history. The ancient Romans stockpiled a large supply of potable water and efficient sewage systems, and designed highly sophisticated ways of transporting water over long distances. During the medieval period these paths were lost and as a result public health and the quality of life of all but the richest and most important suffered. It would not be until the 18th and 19th centuries that techniques that a modern wastewater engineer would recognize were developed.
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