How I Built a Civil Engineering Firm That Doesn’t Follow Industry Norms
Modern Engineering Solutions was not built because there was a gap in the market for another civil engineering firm. It was built because the model most firms are running is broken for the people inside it and for the clients depending on it.
The Four Layers Under MES, Top Down
Last month I wrote that AI is architecture, not a feature, and showed you the project at the relational core. Several of you wrote back asking the next question.
What is actually inside the database, and how do the layers connect?
Top down, four of them. The rest of this article walks them in order.
How Did I Get to a Point Where Someone Else Has Complete Control Over My Career Trajectory?
The question I asked myself standing in a dusty field in Guernsey, Wyoming, moments after my boss told me “No” to a career-advancing opportunity.
Engineer Your Freedom is the practical roadmap from zero to $1M in revenue, covering when you’re truly ready, the business fundamentals engineers aren’t taught in school, finding your ideal clients, pricing for value, your first critical hires, systems that scale, and common traps that kill most practices before they start.
No fluff. No theory. Just honest, engineer-to-engineer guidance from someone who has built the exact business you are trying to create.
Why Speed Is a Design Constraint: How Modern Engineering Firms Deliver Infrastructure Faster
Traditional firms are organized around billing time. Modern firms are organized around delivering outcomes. That difference shows up as weeks, sometimes months, on every project.
When the Math Doesn’t Move: Water Pressure, Affordable Housing, and the Infrastructure Gap Nobody Wants to Pay For
Texas needs $154 billion to fix its water infrastructure but committed only $20 billion. With 186 billion gallons lost annually and pipes dating to the 1890s, developers face serious project risks from aging municipal systems.
Approved Plans Aren’t Always Optimized Plans. The Difference Can Cost $1.5 Million
Texas needs $154 billion to fix its water infrastructure but committed only $20 billion. With 186 billion gallons lost annually and pipes dating to the 1890s, developers face serious project risks from aging municipal systems.
The Cheapest Engineering Decision on Your Texas Pro Forma Isn’t the Low Bid
Texas needs $154 billion to fix its water infrastructure but committed only $20 billion. With 186 billion gallons lost annually and pipes dating to the 1890s, developers face serious project risks from aging municipal systems.
MUD Formation Costs Texas Developers $2.7M Before Breaking Ground: Faster Wastewater Alternatives Exist
Municipal Utility District formation consumes 18-24 months and significant capital before developers install a single pipe. For Texas development projects in extraterritorial jurisdiction areas requiring wastewater infrastructure, the traditional MUD pathway creates timeline risk that increasingly threatens project viability.
How to Cut TCEQ Wastewater Permit Timeline from 12 Months to 6-8 Weeks Using Reuse Authorization
Most Texas developers accept 12-month TCEQ permitting timelines as unavoidable, building substantial carrying costs into every project pro forma. The reality: this timeline is not a regulatory requirement. Strategic permit selection, particularly reuse authorizations instead of traditional discharge permits, can reduce approval timelines to 6-8 weeks.
We Just Told a Client Their $15,000 Project Wasn’t Worth Our Time – They Thanked Me for It
The uncomfortable truth about engineering firms: we are taught to be technically perfect but nobody teaches us to be strategically profitable. Last week a potential client approached us with a $15,000 project. The timeline was aggressive, the scope was unclear, and the red flags were everywhere. We said no. They thanked us for it.
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 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.
Reuse 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 everything from permit timelines to project costs. Getting it wrong can destroy your timeline and budget.
Cloacina’s Integrated Wastewater Solutions: How Developer-Focused Design Creates Better Treatment Systems
Cloacina joined our Engineers for Communities podcast to share insights about their approach to wastewater treatment systems, particularly for developers working on new projects. Troy brings years of operational experience to equipment design, and his company has built their reputation on understanding what developers actually need versus what they think they need. Our conversation revealed how Cloacina’s methodology addresses both the financial realities developers face and the long-term operational challenges that determine project success.
When Experience Isn’t Enough: Why Current Civil Engineering Standards Matter More Than Years of Practice
During 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 just have minor issues – it was fundamentally non-compliant with current California engineering standards.
These emergencies hit small Colorado communities particularly hard. Emergency repairs cost tens of thousands in contractor overtime and regulatory fines. Traditional solutions require upsizing collection systems or upgrading treatment plants that most communities can’t afford. The choice becomes impossible – face financial ruin or continue risking environmental disasters that bring state regulators to your door.
Real-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 regulatory compliance. We explore how fluorescence-based sensor technology brings proven laboratory analysis capabilities directly to field applications, enabling real-time monitoring across diverse water systems. These innovations eliminate traditional sampling delays while providing continuous data streams essential for process control, regulatory reporting, and pollution source identification. Join us as we examine how Proteus technology addresses critical monitoring challenges facing municipal operators, environmental consultants, regulatory agencies, and industrial facility managers.
5 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 during peak flow events when collection systems overflow into streets or treatment plants can’t handle incoming flows. Raw sewage backups trigger immediate environmental violations and can shut down entire developments within hours.
These emergencies hit small Colorado communities particularly hard. Emergency repairs cost tens of thousands in contractor overtime and regulatory fines. Traditional solutions require upsizing collection systems or upgrading treatment plants that most communities can’t afford. The choice becomes impossible: face financial ruin or continue risking environmental disasters that bring state regulators to your door.
This crisis isn’t unique across Colorado as communities face aging wastewater infrastructure built during growth periods when funding was available, but now face upgrade costs exceeding annual budgets entirely.
How 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 water systems serving under 10,000 people. These rural communities face unique operational, financial, and technical hurdles that larger utilities never encounter. Steve shared insights into these problems and practical solutions that can make a real difference.
Gravity Sewer vs. Pressure Sewer: Choosing the Right System for Your Community
Planning sewer infrastructure isn’t the most exciting part of development, but getting it wrong can be expensive. The choice between gravity and pressure sewer systems will impact your project for decades, from what you spend upfront to how much maintenance crews will be dealing with down the road.
When Lift Station Force Mains Fail: Your Colorado Community’s CIPP Solution
Force main failures in lift station systems create some of the worst emergencies small communities can face. Unlike gravity sewer problems that develop gradually, pressurized force main breaks happen fast and cause immediate disasters. Raw sewage backs up into pump stations, triggers environmental violations, and can shut down entire wastewater systems within hours.
These emergencies hit small Colorado communities particularly hard. Emergency repairs cost tens of thousands in contractor overtime and regulatory fines. Traditional replacement projects require digging up major roads, shutting down traffic for weeks, and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars that most small towns don’t have. The choice becomes impossible: face financial ruin or continue risking environmental disasters that bring state regulators to your door.
Fire Flow Analysis: Engineering Solutions for Municipal Water Distribution Systems
Fire flow analysis represents one of the most critical assessments in water distribution system design. This specialized engineering service determines whether a community’s water infrastructure can deliver adequate water volume and pressure for fire suppression while maintaining service during emergencies.
Modern Engineering Solutions provides comprehensive fire flow analysis services throughout Colorado and Texas, helping municipalities, developers, and engineering firms ensure their water systems meet fire protection requirements and building codes.
Why Colorado Manholes Fail: Engineering Solutions That Work
Manholes collapsing in your community is one of those infrastructure nightmares that keeps public works directors up at night. When residents see emergency crews digging up streets and sewage backing up into their neighborhoods, they understandably demand answers. The truth is, most manhole failures come from predictable deterioration that we can prevent with the right approach. Understanding these problems helps communities fix them before they become expensive emergencies.
Colorado’s Wastewater Discharge Permit Rules: What Communities Need to Know
Complete guide to wastewater discharge permits in Colorado. Understand CDPHE requirements, avoid violations, and streamline your permit application today
Understanding Your Community’s Wastewater Collection System
In today’s world, protecting water resources is more critical than ever. At the heart of this mission are environmental engineers, the professionals who design, implement, and refine systems that manage wastewater safely and sustainably. Their work not only protects public health but also preserves the environment for future generations.
Texas Wastewater Permitting Guide For Developer
Texas wastewater permitting requires developers to obtain TCEQ approval before constructing or operating wastewater treatment facilities. The process involves three main permit types: TPDES (surface water discharge), TLAP (land application), and Chapter 210 (reclaimed water reuse).
How We Use Microsoft Apps to Accelerate Your Civil Engineering Project Success
Let’s face it – civil engineering projects are messy. There are dozens of people involved, mountains of paperwork, and strict deadlines that never seem to move. Many engineering firms are finding that Microsoft’s apps can cut through this chaos and make projects run smoother. Here’s how they’re doing it.
Understanding Water System Design Quotes: What You’re Really Paying For
When developers receive proposals for water system design, they’re often confronted with surprisingly wide price variations—sometimes differing by a factor of ten. We recently spoke with a developer who had received quotes ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 for what appeared to be the same scope of work.
Public Water System Design and Implementation in Texas
Designing a new public water system in Texas requires a careful balance of hydraulic design, regulatory compliance, and construction best practices.
The Role of Environmental Engineers in the Wastewater
In today’s world, protecting water resources is more critical than ever. At the heart of this mission are environmental engineers, the professionals who design, implement, and refine systems that manage wastewater safely and sustainably. Their work not only protects public health but also preserves the environment for future generations.
At Modern Engineering Solutions, we understand just how pivotal environmental engineers are to the success of our projects and our communities. As we continue to expand, we are actively seeking passionate environmental engineers to join our team and help us drive innovative wastewater solutions across Colorado and Texas.
Guide to Design a Wastewater Treatment Plant in AutoCAD
Introduction Designing a wastewater treatment plant layout requires both engineering insight and careful CAD drafting. This guide provides a step-by-step approach to creating an AutoCAD wastewater treatment plant design that is accurate, organized, and optimized for collaboration. Tailored as a civil engineering AutoCAD guide for city officials, district managers, professional engineers, municipal planners, and AutoCAD […]
How BioLargo’s Aqueous Electrostatic Concentration Solves PFAS Contamination
In this episode of Engineers for Communities, we spoke with Tanya Chandler and Sally Gutierrez from BioLargo about tackling one of today’s most critical environmental challenges: PFAS contamination. Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are widespread in U.S. water systems, posing serious risks to health and the environment. Tanya and Sally shared insights into the issue and groundbreaking solutions that can make a difference.
Aging Infrastructure and Regulatory Changes in Small Water Systems
These new rules demand significant updates in their operational practices to meet the October 2024 deadline. For smaller water systems, this presents a tough challenge as many lack the necessary resources and data to seamlessly adapt to these requirements.
PFAS Polluters to Pay $14.75 Billion Settlement Direct to Public Water Systems
Today, we’re diving deep into the subject with insights from Sam Wade, former CEO of the National Rural Water Association, and current Water Consultant to Napoli Shkolnik Law to understand the legal landscape and financial opportunities available to utilities grappling with PFAS contamination.
Mechanical Wastewater Treatment: Simple Solutions for Solids Management
Welcome to another episode of Engineers for Communities, where we delve into innovative solutions that impact rural communities, developers, and engineers.
This episode was filmed at WEFTEC 2023 and features insights from industry expert Simon Randle of Huber Technology. Simon highlights cutting-edge methods for mechanical solids separation and sludge dewatering. Huber develops performance guarantees based on the results of site-specific bench and pilot scale testing, ensuring compliance for clients from small rural towns to large municipal plants.
Let’s dive into the world of mechanical wastewater solutions!
Biden-Harris: Taking a Stand Against PFAS Pollution
The Biden-Harris administration is making significant steps in the fight against PFAS pollution which degrades our environment and health. This article explains how that agenda will be accomplished and what it means to rural area engineers and city officials. The story covers how this action is going to change the way we deal with environmental and public health issues.
Denver Water: Accelerating Lead Service Line Replacement via BIL Funding
Clean water is a must for everyone. Despite delivering lead-free drinking water through the water main, lead can still enter the drinking water of customers with lead service line pipes and fixtures located on their property. Lead in drinking water is a significant health concern, especially for babies, youth, and pregnant women.
A Deep Dive into North Texas Municipal Water District’s (NTMWD) Environmental Commitment
The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) plays a pivotal role in the region’s water landscape, providing wholesale wastewater services to 24 communities and serving a substantial 1.4 million residents. This essential service extends beyond mere wastewater treatment; it forms the backbone of NTMWD’s commitment to environmental preservation, economic prosperity, and sustainable water practices.
A Comprehensive Vision for Water Infrastructure Investment
As Texas stands on the brink of its 2024-2025 biennium with an impressive $32.7 billion surplus, a golden opportunity emerges to shape the state’s future through strategic investments in water, wastewater, and flood/stormwater projects.
Maximizing Efficiency and Minimizing Costs of Reverse Osmosis Systems
We delve into the Reverse Osmosis Systems, exploring their applications, efficiency, and how you can significantly reduce operational costs.
What is an Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) in Texas?
In the context of Texas, “ETJ” stands for “Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.” The ETJ refers to the area outside the official boundaries of a city or municipality where the city has limited regulatory authority and planning control. It is essentially a buffer zone that allows a city to extend its influence beyond its corporate limits for future growth and development.
3 Important Lessons on Upgrading Community Development: The Role of Lift Stations
Welcome to this blog post where we’ll dive into three key lessons from the enlightening Engineers for Communities Episode 12 titled “Lift Stations 101: Why It Matters to Your Community Development.” In this exciting episode, Mike explores the significance of lift stations, their impact on your community’s infrastructure, and the critical aspects of their operation and maintenance. Let’s get started and uncover the valuable insights shared in this episode!
Leveraging the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) for Rural Water and Sewer Communities: An Exploration
Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) is a critical factor that impacts wastewater collection systems and wastewater treatment plants. Simply put, I&I refers to stormwater and groundwater that unintentionally enters the sewer system. This usually happens via illegal connections, cross connections, foundation drains, roof drains, broken lines, unsealed manholes, or root infiltration.
Key Take Aways From EP11: “How Inflow and Infiltration Impacts Your Collection System and Wastewater Treatment Plant”
Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) is a critical factor that impacts wastewater collection systems and wastewater treatment plants. Simply put, I&I refers to stormwater and groundwater that unintentionally enters the sewer system. This usually happens via illegal connections, cross connections, foundation drains, roof drains, broken lines, unsealed manholes, or root infiltration.
Unlocking The Power of the Rural Water Assistance Fund for Your Community
As dedicated contributors to rural water and sewer communities, we all wear multiple hats. One important part of our role is understanding and utilizing available resources to maximize the potential of our local water and sewer systems. Today, we are focusing on a game-changing resource for small rural utilities, the Rural Water Assistance Fund (RWAF) Program.
Transforming Rural Water and Sewer Communities: Unlock the Potential of the Texas Water Development Fund (DFund) Loan Program
Living in a rural water and sewer community means playing various roles to ensure the wellbeing of your neighbors. This responsibility also involves learning about different ways to enhance the quality of life for everyone around you. One such avenue is through funding programs, such as the Texas Water Development Fund (DFund) Loan Program, that can help improve water and wastewater infrastructure. Here are the key things you need to know about the DFund and how it can be beneficial for your community.
Revitalize Your Community with the USDA Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program in Texas
Navigating the waters of rural water and sewer systems can be challenging. But did you know that there is a funding mechanism available to help improve your community’s water infrastructure? The Texas Water Development Board’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Loan Program could be the key to unlocking significant improvements in your water and sewer services. Here’s what you need to know.
Uncovering the Potential of Detailed Water Loss Analysis in Rural Communities
In a recent episode of Engineering for Communities Live, The Importance of Detailed Water Loss Analysis | EP 9, we explored the significance of conducting detailed water loss analysis in rural water and sewer communities. We initiated the discussion by sharing insights from our interviews with water and sewer providers in Colorado and Texas. Surprisingly, half of the 14 water providers interviewed were grappling with unidentified water losses, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive approach.
Unlocking the Potential of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) for Your Rural Water Community
Navigating the waters of rural water and sewer systems can be challenging. But did you know that there is a funding mechanism available to help improve your community’s water infrastructure? The Texas Water Development Board’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Loan Program could be the key to unlocking significant improvements in your water and sewer services. Here’s what you need to know.
Unlocking Funding Opportunities: The Texas Water Development Board’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Loan Program
In rural water and sewer communities, we are the stewards of our natural resources. We understand the importance of maintaining clean water for our families, farms, and future generations.
Making the Most of the Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP) for Your Rural Water and Sewer System
In rural water and sewer communities, we are the stewards of our natural resources. We understand the importance of maintaining clean water for our families, farms, and future generations.
Knowing When Your Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Needs to be Upgraded: A Guide for Rural Communities
In rural water and sewer communities, we are the stewards of our natural resources. We understand the importance of maintaining clean water for our families, farms, and future generations.