David Venhuizen's Curriculum Vita

EDUCATION:

B.S. Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering, and
B.S. Liberal Arts & Sciences--Biology Major from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1970

M.S. Civil Engineering from University of Texas at Austin, 1975

REGISTRATION:

Registered Professional Engineer: State of Texas, 1980 State of Wisconsin, 1987 Licensed Irrigator, State of Texas, 1987

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE RELATED TO WATER RESOURCES:

Hidalgo County (Texas) Colonias wastewater management study: Analyzed options for wastewater management for over 125 colonias in Hidalgo County, including intensive analysis of 4 specific colonias. Options analyzed were improved on-site systems, small-scale collective systems using soil dispersal or treatment and discharge, and colonia-wide collective systems using soil dispersal or treatment and discharge. For the treatment and discharge options, sand filters and constructed wetlands were evaluated. Results indicated that these types of decentralized management strategies will be much less costly than conventional regional sewer systems under the conditions prevailing in Hidalgo County. This led to preparing facility plans for 26 of these colonias using these decentralized management concepts. Cost estimates generated in these facility plans indicate that high quality wastewater service can be provided to Hidalgo County colonias for $3,000-4,000 per house, including all "soft" costs, while conventional management plans would typically cost in excess of $10,000 per house. Participated with local project sponsor to delineate a detailed management plan for these decentralized facilities.

Colonia de Quemado (Texas) wastewater facility plan: Generated several options for innovative wastewater management systems to serve Quemado. These included on-site sand filter/drip irrigation and constructed wetland systems, small-scale collective systems using these technologies, and STED/STEP sewer systems with centralized sand filter and constructed wetland treatment systems. Completed cost effectiveness analysis of these options vs. more conventional management systems. The end product was a facility plan for development of a wastewater infrastructure in Quemado, including a management plan. The cost effective option was a STED/STEP sewer system with a centralized sand filter treatment system. This project was selected by Texas Water Development Board for funding of system design and construction under EPA innovative projects grant program.

Environmental Defense Fund maquiladoras wastewater project: Conducted analysis of options for cost efficient wastewater treatment and reuse for industrial park in Reynosa, Mexico. Generated alternative management strategies and presented general advantages and disadvantages of each. Presented treatment schemes for each management strategy and completed cost estimates for each approach. Aim of study was to produce a demonstration project for addressing wastewater management needs in maquiladoras.

Town of Washington (Wisconsin): Was called in to offer ideas on how to provide cost efficient, high quality wastewater service in on-site or small-scale collective systems as an alternative to a holding tank/pump-and-haul system being proposed for Washington Island. Of particular concern was nitrate pollution of groundwater from conventional on-site systems, so a denitrifying sand filter concept I had formulated was considered. The Town decided to pursue the decentralized strategy, using the denitrifying sand filter concept. A facility plan was prepared, including a demonstration project required by the State of Wisconsin to determine the degree of nitrogen removal which can be expected and the cost effectiveness of the decentralized option relative to the pump-and-haul option. Designs for the installation and evaluation of demonstration on-site systems were completed and these systems were installed. Was a hands-on participant in the installation of these systems and in trouble-shooting and performance analysis during the demonstration project. Evaluation of system performance and generation of a management plan for town-wide use of these systems was executed. Two larger collective systems were also designed, but not installed under this project. The facility plan was reviewed and accepted by the state regulatory agencies, and the Town is in the process of implementing the decentralized management strategy. The Wisconsin state agency which regulates on-site systems has since approved systems employing the design concepts generated in the Washington Island project.

Barton Creek Arts Center: Designed and oversaw installation of "waste" water management system for this multi-use living arts community located in an environmentally sensitive watershed. High quality treatment is provided by a denitrifying sand filter system. Environmentally benign "disposal" is provided by beneficially reusing the effluent in a subsurface drip irrigation system. Obtained a permit for this system from the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. Was a hands-on participant in the drip irrigation field installation.

Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District: Conducted water conservation study for users of this aquifer. Surveyed water uses and explored options for reducing per capita demands in the residential, commercial and industrial/institutional usage sectors. Conducted detailed fiscal analyses which highlighted the cost efficiency of leak repair, showerhead replacement and toilet replacement. This study received a "Project Planning Award" from the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Lowman Ranch: A 920-acre commercial/industrial/residential development near San Marcos, Texas. Conducted negotiations with City of San Marcos regarding water service and wastewater system development. Generated utility service plan, including innovative wastewater management system and preliminary design for the treatment facilities. Obtained a permit for the first phase of this system from the Texas Water Commission (forerunner agency of current Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission).

Princeton Parks: Residential and commercial development in Princeton, Texas. Conducted master planning for entire 260-acre tract, and engineering and site planning for 46.5-acre first phase. Generated water and wastewater service plan, including an innovative greywater reuse system.

City of Gonzales, Texas: Prepared preliminary engineering report exploring use of innovative on-site wastewater system employing gravel marsh treatment and irrigation reuse vs. pump-and-haul system for wastewater service to RV camp in city park, including preliminary design for the on-site option.

Southwest Texas State University: Conducted a preliminary study of opportunities for water conservation through wastewater reuse and efficiency enhancements. The findings indicated a high savings potential and led to more detailed investigation of building scale greywater reuse and flush water recycling systems. Generated design concepts for greywater treatment system and flushwater treatment and reuse system. The project indicated that on-campus reuse may be an appropriate strategy for reducing demand upon the Edwards Aquifer and reducing the overall costs of water supply and wastewater treatment and disposal. Also produced, as part of this project, a detailed in-depth review of effluent quality standards appropriate to various modes of reuse.

Bastrop County W.C.I.D. No. 2: Conducted feasibility studies of implementing an innovative decentralized concept wastewater management system within the jurisdiction of the Water Control & Improvement District No. 2. These studies indicated that the proposed system would be far more cost efficient and environmentally benign than conventional management strategies, and would also make reuse of the effluent for landscape irrigation fiscally reasonable. Conducted preliminary engineering study and prepared permit application for first phase of this decentralized wastewater management system.

Lower Colorado River Authority: Served on Technical Advisory Committee for project which explored the use of constructed wetlands and similar methods to obtain high quality effluents for discharge into streams in Colorado River basin. Produced paper exploring wetland treatment mechanisms and suggesting innovative system configurations for meeting treatment goals. The project funded construction and monitoring of a demonstration treatment plant using candidate technologies judged most capable of cost effectively obtaining desired effluent quality.

Clivus Multrum, Inc.: Worked with the company to design and to attempt to market a "packaged" greywater/wastewater purification system employing the anaerobic upflow filter and the intermittent sand filter for treatment. Completed reports on technology background, design sizing, etc., and on materials specifications for a commercial system. Produced construction drawings and pictorial schematics for the prototype systems. Assisted with the production and demonstration of a 100 gallon/day prototype. Produced a product specification/informational document for a production system.

Gloucester, Massachusetts, Facility Plan: Consulted with engineering firm hired to conduct facility plan update, the specific intent of which was to evaluate a decentralized wastewater management system for North Gloucester. Assisted with generation of management scenarios and delineation of hardware options. Produced report detailing environmental impacts of on-site systems and how "alternative" management methods can reduce or circumvent those impacts. Participated in workshops to inform public about the project.

Independent Research Project: Conducted federally-funded research under sponsorship of City of San Marcos, Texas, which investigated wastewater treatment in water hyacinth ponds covered by greenhouses. Explored effects of various flow regimes and physical parameters on treatment efficiency and the thermal performance of two greenhouse designs. Also evaluated wind power as driving source for wastewater aeration.

TxDOT interstate highway rest stop wastewater system: Designed sand filter treatment system and drip irrigation effluent dispersal system for rest stop on Interstate Highway 37 between San Antonio and Corpus Christi, one of the most highly used rest stops in Texas. A significant design challenge was to assure that the system could respond to highly variable flows generated by variable pattern of rest stop usage. Also integrated drip irrigation system into landscaping plan and to mesh seamlessly with the surface irrigation system fed from the potable water supply.

Design of on-site wastewater systems: Completed designs for and have overseen installation of "improved" on-site wastewater systems. These include a pressure-dosed system for an RV park and for individual homes, sand filter/drip irrigation systems for individual homes and commercial developments, a flush water recycling system for a convenience store, and collective sand filter/drip irrigation systems for mobile home parks. Sand filter/drip irrigation systems were designed for use on sites with very shallow depth of soil to limiting conditions or with low-permeability soils. System concept includes nitrogen removal. Standard designs have been generated, using standard tanks produced by local manufacturers in Central Texas, and using custom-fabricated tanks. Produced a design manual for this treatment system concept for the State of Wisconsin. Produced O & M manual for system and provided it to each system owner. Produced standard maintenance contract for jurisdictions which require third-party O & M.

PUBLIC PRESENTATION/INFORMATIONAL SEMINAR EXPERIENCE

Have made numerous formal and informal presentations to clients and interested citizens in the course of executing projects. Formal presentations have been made at the invitation of sponsoring organizations, as outlined below:

Environmental Defense Fund: Presentation made to Texas regulatory agency personnel, outlining potential benefits of decentralized wastewater management. Detailed technologies appropriate for decentralized deployment and environmental impacts and advantages of their use. Provided example of decentralized system planning using a Texas colonia. Also detailed design issues for constructed wetland treatment systems.

Massachusetts Bays Consortium: Part of a team which made presentations in Hyannis and Swansea, Massachusetts. Covered environmental impacts of on-site systems, and detailed methods for providing more environmentally sound on-site wastewater management, with emphasis on nitrogen reduction, which is a major concern on Cape Cod.

Conserv 90: Gave audio/visual presentation on decentralized wastewater management concept, using Bastrop County W.C.I.D. No. 2 project as an example. Gave workshop presentation on Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District water conservation plan. Participated in panel presentation/discussion on greywater reuse. Presented poster session on small-scale wastewater management methods, detailing treatment using sand filters, anaerobic upflow filters and gravel marshes, and dispersal in low-pressure dosed drainfields and subsurface drip irrigation fields.

Austin Community College: Presentation made to construction trades class on "improved" on-site wastewater systems. Detailed environmental impacts of on-site systems and outlined methods for coping with poor soil resources, focusing on sand filters, gravel marshes, low-pressure dosed drainfields and subsurface drip irrigation fields.

City of Austin Environmental Board: Presentation covered decentralized wastewater management strategies generally and detailed "improved" on-site wastewater systems.

City of San Marcos Planning Commission: Presentation outlining findings of Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District water conservation study and exploring its relevance to City policies.

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Graduate Studies Seminar: Presentation made to faculty and students detailing the course of investigation in the Washington Island project. Detailed the technologies being employed, practical design issues, and results of system monitoring. Discussed politics of pursuing innovative wastewater management strategies in Wisconsin.

Texas Water Commission, Clean Water Task Force: Presentation made to Alternative Treatment Committee on decentralized wastewater management. Detailed fiscal, environmental and societal advantages, and reviewed technologies appropriate to decentralized deployment.

National Environmental Training Center: Generated cirriculum on technology options for wastewater management by small communities and made presentation on technologies in a pilot workshop in Oklahoma. This overall effort has culminated in a training cirriculum for local decision makers to provide them with the range of information they will need to make an informed decision on the best wastewater management options for their communities. Served as trainer in a workshop using this cirriculum in Austin, Texas.

"Ecopalooza" at Ecoparque in Tijuana, Mexico: Presented a discussion of how decentralized concept systems, exemplified by the system being used at Ecoparque, can be a cost efficient option for protecting public health and environmental values while also rendering beneficial reuse of treated effluent a far more cost efficient prospect than it typically is in conventional, centralized systems. The importance of this aspect of management in a region that imports 90% of its water supply was strongly emphasized.