"The LA County Sanitation Districts is in the center of some of our industry's most pressing challenges—cutting-edge research on ultraviolet disinfection and membrane treatment of wastewater...gas recovery from landfills...the use of waste to generate energy...

However, this is only a small part of a larger solution that the U.S. needs to address. Our national water and wastewater infrastructure requirements are truly monumental, with experts estimating that over one trillion dollars is urgently needed to upgrade our nation's facilities. Not only has the American Society of Civil Engineers rated our country's current infrastructure status a 'D,' but it is disturbing to note that approximately 40% of all surface water fails to meet current standards.

At the same time, the populations of several states, such as California,along with numerous communities, will continue to outpace infrastructure growth. Additionally, more stringent regulations continue to stretch the profession to create new, innovative solutions, such as membrane technologies for water and wastewater treatment, and sophisticated environmental controls in solid waste projects.

The solution? Clearly, any solution our industry develops will require that we tap into the best and brightest minds in environmental engineering. We need more, not fewer, talented engineers to keep our profession moving forward."

Michael W. Selna
Past President of AAEES
Environmental Engineers of the Future

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