What we do
Engineers in Water Quality focus on water and wastewater treatment, treatment wetland design, contaminant fate and transport, and water chemistry. HSU Water Quality Engineers investigate:
- Optimal water and wastewater treatment solutions for small communities
- Performance of wetland based wastewater treatment facilities
- Implementation of low cost and low energy wastewater treatment facilities in developing countries
ERE students tour the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District drinkingwater treatment plant and investigate contaminant transport in test reactors.
Classes
All ERE students are required to take Water Quality and Environmental Health (ENGR 351) and Transport Phenomena (ENGR 416) which serve as the foundation for understanding water quality. In addition, students can select the following water quality related courses as part of their major electives program
- Water and Waste Water Treatment (ENGR 451)
- Constructed Wetlands for Water Quality Management (ENGR 455/555)
Facilities
Water Quality Laboratory
Water quality classes frequently take instruments into the field to quantify water quality parameters in such as salinity, turbidity, pH, dissolve oxygen, and temperature. In addition, coliform, biological oxygen demand, nitrogen, phosphorous, and other trace ion concentrations can be quantified in water samples brought to the water quality lab.
Research
Our faculty actively investigate water quality issues ranging from wastewater treatment to sediment transport in streams. A list of recent publications by department faculty summarizes our recent research activity.