A team of students from the NDSU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering won the 2019 Environmental Challenge. The competition was held at the Minneapolis Convention Center Nov. 7 as part of the annual Conference on the Environment.
This year’s competition focused on reducing chloride discharge from ion exchange water softeners used by residents and industries in a hypothetical small town. Teams are judged on written reports, table-top displays and formal presentations.
“This event gave our students the chance to use the knowledge they learned in the classroom to solve a real-world problem,” said Wei Lin, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering.
Students were asked to analyze existing data and establish a chloride reduction goal; present and evaluate alternatives for chloride reduction; propose capital improvements at the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant; propose changes to industrial user agreements and city ordinances; and provide cost estimates and analyses.
Eight teams from four universities participated in the 2019 Environmental Challenge. NDSU’s team included students Troy Borud, Dustin Grandbois, Mara Roteliuk and Arianna Christian.
The event is sponsored by the Air and Waste Management Association-Upper Midwest Section and Central States Water Environment Association-Minnesota Section.
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