The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires every regulated water and wastewater facility to demonstrate that essential systems will continue to operate during an...
Read MoreModern, Cost-Effective Water and Wastewater Engineering
We are a water and wastewater engineering firm helping Texas municipalities, developers, and engineering partners deliver infrastructure projects faster, with fewer TCEQ revisions and predictable costs.
Our work focuses on clear recommendations, practical system design, and permitting strategies that reduce delays and avoid unnecessary construction expense.
Most engineering firms move slowly because their delivery model is slow. We built a different one. Our approach prioritizes outcomes over billable hours so projects move forward instead of stalling in TCEQ review cycles.
Engineering Built for Outcomes, Not Overhead
Water and wastewater projects fail when schedules slip, designs overreach, or permitting risks are not addressed early. We engineer with those realities in mind.
Value Over
Hours
We do not bill by the hour. We price water and wastewater engineering services around outcomes such as permits secured, schedules protected, and systems sized correctly for construction and long-term operation.
Speed as a Design Constraint
Time to permit and time to water matter as much as hydraulics and code compliance. We treat schedule as a core design input from day one because delays often cost more than design fees.
Deep Work, Not Meeting Culture
Our engineers are organized for focused problem solving, not constant meetings. Fewer handoffs and fewer revisions lead to cleaner submittals and faster regulatory review.
AI as Leverage, Not a Shortcut
We use AI to streamline drafting and documentation so licensed professional engineers can focus on judgment, coordination, and quality. All technical decisions are made and reviewed by PEs
Who We Support
We support clients who need water and wastewater engineering expertise without large-firm overhead or slow delivery.
Municipalities and Water Districts
Small and mid-sized communities facing aging infrastructure, compliance requirements, or funding deadlines. We deliver clear recommendations and designs aligned with local budgets and operational realities.
Developers and Industrial Owners
Developers and industrial owners who need fast feasibility answers, realistic construction costs, and a clear path through TCEQ or CDPHE permitting before capital is committed.
Civil Engineering Firms
Civil firms without in-house water or wastewater capability or firms facing PE bottlenecks. We act as a quiet, dependable utility partner so projects move forward.
What We Do
We provide comprehensive water and wastewater engineering services with a focus on constructability, permitting success, and cost control.
Wastewater Engineering
Wastewater collection systems, lift stations, treatment plants, infiltration and inflow studies, and facility upgrades. One clear recommendation, realistic cost expectations, and submittals designed to move through review with minimal revisions.
Water Engineering
Water wells, storage, distribution, and treatment systems designed around source conditions, growth projections, and construction budgets. Early feasibility clarity and designs that protect project schedules.
Civil Engineering
We handle the water and wastewater portion of civil projects so internal teams can move faster. Ideal for firms needing dependable overflow support or specialized utility expertise.
Construction Administration
We stay engaged during construction with fast responses and clear clarifications to prevent change orders caused by ambiguity or misalignment.
Experience and Results
Our team has delivered water and wastewater engineering projects across multiple states and regulatory environments, including CDPHE and TCEQ jurisdictions.
Typical outcomes include faster approvals, reduced construction costs through right-sized design, lower infiltration and inflow, and clearer project budgets and schedules.
285+ Permitted Projects
165+ Water / Ice Kiosk
Licensed in 8 states
40+ Professional Engineering Team
Projects
Gateway Water Reclamation Facility
Challenge Overcome: A traditional 1.0 MGD discharge permit in the San Marcos area would have faced significant opposition from environmental groups concerned about impacts to the San Marcos River and Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. Public hearings and third-party referral processes typically extend discharge permits to 30+ months in this region. The 210E authorization completely avoided the contentious discharge permit process by implementing a zero-discharge system. Even with the larger flow volume requiring more detailed technical review, TCEQ approved the authorization in just 10 weeks—21 months faster than a discharge permit. The project’s data center component provided clear industrial justification, while the large-scale on-site irrigation capacity eliminated any surface water discharge concerns.
Location: San Marcos, Hays County, Texas
Authorization Number: 2E-0000365
Time to Permit: 10 weeks
Time Saved vs. Discharge Permit: ~21 months
Project Type: Large-scale mixed-use development combining data center operations, commercial facilities, and supporting infrastructure
Wastewater Profile:
- Design flow: 1,000,000 gallons per day (1.0 MGD)
- Waste streams: Domestic wastewater, data center cooling systems, equipment cleaning, humidification processes, truck washout, stormwater runoff
Reuse Strategy:
- On-site irrigation for extensive campus landscaping and common areas
- Fire protection for data center and commercial buildings (self-contained on-site reuse)
River Valley Water Reclamation Facility
Challenge Overcome: Discharge permits in Caldwell County near the San Marcos River watershed face intense scrutiny from regional water authorities and environmental advocacy groups. Public hearings attended by Modern Engineering Solutions staff for neighboring discharge permit applications revealed highly contentious 30+ month permitting timelines. The 210E pathway bypassed this opposition entirely, securing approval in just 4 weeks by demonstrating beneficial agricultural reuse. The project’s 2.0 MGD scale, one of the largest 210E authorizations issued to date for MES, proves that flow volume does not limit 210E applicability when industrial components and viable reuse plans are present. The off-site reuse agreement with Circle G Livestock provides long-term disposal certainty while supporting local agricultural operations.
Location: Martindale, Caldwell County, Texas
Authorization Number: 2E-0000348
Time to Permit: 4 weeks
Time Saved vs. Discharge Permit: ~23 months
Project Type: Master-planned mixed-use development combining residential subdivisions, data center operations, and concrete batch plant facilities
Wastewater Profile:
- Design flow: 2,000,000 gallons per day (2.0 MGD)
- Waste stream composition: Municipal wastewater: 1,794,000 gpd (89.7%), Data center wastewater: 120,000 gpd (6.0%), Concrete batch plant: 600 gpd (0.03%)
Reuse Strategy:
- Off-site agricultural irrigation to Circle G Livestock tree farm and sod production
- 53 acre-foot storage reservoir designed per 30 TAC §309.20 using 25-year worst-case precipitation data
Bradley Business Park Water Reclamation Facility
Challenge Overcome: Williamson County denied septic permit approval due to platting issues and site constraints that made conventional on-site wastewater treatment infeasible. The 210E authorization bypassed county jurisdiction entirely, allowing the project to proceed under state-level TCEQ oversight with a zero-discharge reclaimed water system. The 4-week approval timeline enabled the developer to maintain construction schedules and avoid costly project delays.
Location: Taylor, Williamson County, Texas
Authorization Number: 2E-0000369
Time to Permit: 4 weeks
Time Saved vs. Discharge Permit: ~23 months
Project Type: Mixed-use business park combining industrial operations with commercial/office facilities
Wastewater Profile:
- Design flow: 6,700 gallons per day
- Waste streams: Domestic wastewater, cooling systems, equipment cleaning, facility maintenance
Reuse Strategy:
- On-site irrigation for business park landscaping
- Fire protection system (self-contained on-site reuse)
Taylor Water Reclamation Facility
Challenge Overcome: Williamson County denied the septic permit due to concerns about industrial wastewater constituents and site-specific geological limitations. Traditional on-site disposal was not viable, and a discharge permit would have faced lengthy review and potential opposition. The 210E pathway provided a clean industrial reclaimed water solution in 6 weeks, allowing the facility to commence operations on schedule. The self-contained on-site reuse eliminates any off-site discharge concerns and provides complete operational control.
Location: Taylor, Williamson County, Texas
Authorization Number: 2E-0000358
Time to Permit: 6 weeks
Time Saved vs. Discharge Permit: ~22 months
Project Type: Industrial-only facility with process wastewater and equipment cleaning operations
Wastewater Profile:
- Design flow: 5,000 gallons per day
- Waste streams: Domestic wastewater, process wastewater, industrial washwater
Reuse Strategy:
- On-site landscape irrigation
- Fire protection system (self-contained on-site reuse)
Blog/Newsletter
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires every regulated water and wastewater facility to demonstrate that essential systems will continue to operate during an electrical outage. This requirement is not just a formality; without backup power, a distribution system can lose pressure in a matter of minutes, disinfection can stop, and wastewater lift stations can overflow. Any of these conditions can create a direct public health hazard and, at the same time, put the utility in violation of its permit.
TCEQ’s Power Reliability Requirements: Generator vs. Dual Feed Design
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires every regulated water and wastewater facility to demonstrate that essential systems will continue to operate during an...
Read MoreReuse vs. Discharge: Which Wastewater Strategy Fits Your Texas Development?
Every Texas developer faces the same critical decision: discharge treated wastewater into streams or set up reuse for local farms and businesses. This choice impacts...
Read MoreManholes collapsing in your community is one of those infrastructure nightmares that keeps public works directors up at night. When residents see emergency crews digging...
Read MoreDuring a routine plan review for a California water infrastructure project last week, our team encountered something that made us pause. The cover sheet didn't...
Read MoreReal-Time Water Quality Monitoring Using Proteus Fluorescence Technology
In this episode, we engage with Michael Malone from Proteus, who provides comprehensive insights into advanced water quality monitoring solutions that transform environmental assessment and...
Read More5 Common Wastewater Hydraulic Modeling Mistakes That Kill Project Budgets
Wastewater hydraulic modeling failures create some of the worst emergencies communities can face. Unlike water system problems that develop gradually, wastewater modeling mistakes reveal themselves...
Read MoreHow WaterOperator.org Solves Small Water System Crisis: Free Resources That Actually Work
In this episode of Engineers for Communities, we spoke with Steve Wilson from WaterOperator.org about tackling one of today's most critical infrastructure challenges: supporting small...
Read MoreWhy Choose Modern Engineering Solutions
Get in Touch!
Have a question about our services? Not sure if you need an engineer?
Give us a call or leave a message and we’ll contact qualified projects within few working hours!