Modern Engineering Solutions

Fast-Track Your California
Land Development Project
With Our Expertise

Break ground faster with State Water Board permits in 8 weeks instead of 12 months. We deliver complete submittals, predictable costs, and systems designed for California’s seismic standards and drought restrictions.

What We Do

Modern Engineering Solutions supports California developers with water, wastewater, and civil engineering across all nine Regional Water Quality Control Board districts.

Wastewater Engineering

California wastewater means navigating Title 22 reuse mandates before you even know what treatment level you need. We start by determining if your project falls under Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance requirements, then design collection and treatment that satisfies your Regional Water Quality Control Board’s basin plan. Inland Empire developments get different scrutiny than Bay Area projects, and coastal zones add another layer through local coastal programs. We’ve worked in six of the nine regional board jurisdictions, so we know which boards want early coordination and which ones prefer complete packages at submittal. Your contractor gets plans stamped for seismic Zone 4, and your NPDES permit comes back without requests for additional information.

Water Engineering

Water supply in California starts with figuring out if you even have allocation to serve your project. We coordinate with your local water agency to verify supply availability, then design distribution systems that meet Division of Drinking Water’s cross-connection control requirements and seismic performance standards. Southern California projects deal with imported water quality and pressure zone complexity. Central Valley developments need ag-to-urban conversion approvals and groundwater sustainability plan compliance. Coastal areas face desalination feasibility questions and brackish water treatment. We’ve navigated all three scenarios, so you get a water system design that passes DDW plan check and satisfies your water agency’s will-serve conditions without multiple resubmittals.

Civil Engineering

Site planning in California means every utility decision has environmental review implications. CEQA exemptions evaporate when your wastewater discharge changes receiving water quality or your water supply triggers SGMA concerns. We coordinate site layouts so stormwater management satisfies post-construction BMP requirements, utility trenching avoids sensitive habitat areas, and grading plans account for liquefaction potential in seismic zones. Orange County projects face different coastal commission requirements than San Diego developments. Bay Area sites deal with BAAQMD jurisdiction and bay fill restrictions. We map these constraints early so your civil engineer isn’t redesigning the site after environmental review identifies conflicts that should have been caught in concept phase.

Construction Administration

California construction means inspectors enforce codes that changed three times since your plans were approved. We track addenda and interpretation letters so your contractor isn’t surprised when the inspector rejects a detail that was standard six months ago. Title 22 startup and testing requirements are extensive, Regional Board inspectors want documentation most contractors don’t think to collect, and seismic anchor bolts get red-tagged if the inspection timing doesn’t match the sequence of pour. We’ve closed out projects under eight different regional boards, so we know what documentation each inspector expects before they’ll sign off. Your final inspection happens on schedule because we caught the compliance gaps before the inspector arrived.

Projects

From lift stations to treatment plants, MES delivers water and wastewater engineering for California land developers - fewer revisions, faster approvals, and costs you can count on.

Get in Touch!

Not Sure What Approvals Your Project Needs?

California development requires coordinating the State Water Board, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, Division of Drinking Water, and local water agencies. We’ll review your project scope, identify required permits, and outline a timeline in a 15-minute call. No cost, no commitment.