Municipal Engineering Fundamentals for Non-Engineers

This course introduces non-engineers to the core principles and practices of municipal engineering, with a focus on real-world applications in street design, water supply, sanitary sewer, and stormwater systems. Participants will learn how public works engineers approach planning, design, and maintenance, and how to ask the right questions to ensure successful infrastructure outcomes. Whether you're in planning, finance, management, or public service, this course will help you better understand the systems that keep communities running.

• Planners, city managers, and elected officials involved in infrastructure decision-making.
• Finance officers, maintenance supervisors, and public works staff preparing for expanded responsibilities.
• Individuals enrolled in the Public Works Management Institute (PWMI) or anyone seeking a foundational understanding of municipal systems.

In-person outline:

Day 1

Overview of the Municipal Engineering Function

• What is unique about municipal engineering?
• What are the challenges of designing municipal infrastructure systems?
• What tools and standards are used by municipal engineers?

Street Planning, Design, and Maintenance

• Planning and functional classification systems
• Urban vs. rural roadway geometric standards
• Intersections and sidewalks
• Soils, water, and pavement thickness design
• Pavement management systems
• Preventive maintenance and rehabilitation
• Traffic engineering and operation
• Traffic engineering studies
• Understanding a civil engineering plan set

Water Supply Systems 

• Projecting water system demand
• Calculating average demand
• Estimating peak demand
• Accommodating fire flows

Water Distribution 

• Water mains
• Water storage requirements
• Metering and water loss
• Valves and hydrants
• Testing

Water Treatment - Groundwater and Surface Water

• Physical and chemical processes
• Hardness and softening
• Filtration and disinfection

Day 2

Sanitary Sewerage Systems

• Projecting system capacity
• Sewer collection systems
  • Design parameters
  • Materials
  • Maintenance
• Treatment Plant Considerations
  
  • Hydraulic and waste loadings
  • Phosphorous and nitrogen
  • Special loadings
• Treatment processes:
  • Primary
  • Secondary
  • Tertiary

Stormwater Drainage and Control Systems

• Why we manage stormwater
• Understanding rainfall and runoff, and the “Rational Formula”
• Drainage system design
• Catch basins and inlets
• Flood control: detention, flow control, and regional approaches,
• Water quality: EPA, NPDES, and MS4s
• Combined sewers
• Stormwater best management practices (BMPs) and sustainability

Online Course Modules - Not offered at this time

Pre-course Activity

• Overview of the Course
• Overview of the Municipal Engineering Function
• What is unique about municipal engineering?
• What are the challenges of designing municipal infrastructure systems?
• What tools and standards are used by municipal engineers?

Session 1 - Street Design, Maintenance and Rehabilitation

• Soils, water, and pavement thickness design
• Pavement management
• Preventive maintenance and rehabilitation
• Estimating and Bidding

Session 2 - Street Planning and Traffic Engineering

• Planning and functional classification systems
• Urban vs. rural roadway geometric standards
• Intersections and sidewalks
• Traffic engineering and operation
• Traffic engineering studies 

Session 3 - Storm Drainage

• Catch Basins & Inlets
• Regulatory considerations
• Combined Sewers
• Stormwater Quality
• BMP’s & BMP Application

Session 4 - Water Systems

• Water Supply
• Water Treatment
• Water Demand and Water System Sizing
• Water Distribution System 

Session 5 - Sanitary Sewers and Waste Treatment

• Projecting System Capacity
• Collection System
• Treatment Techniques
• Treatment Plant Design

Benjamin Jordan

Benjamin J. Jordan, PE, is a program director with Interdisciplinary Professional Programs in the transportation sector. He has over 35 years of experience in civil engineering and public works. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and a Master of Public Affairs degree with a Certificate in Public Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois.

Caroline Burger

Greg Fries

Dave Hutton

Dave Hutton is a Senior Project Manager with SEH, Inc. For the last 20 years he has been a consultant engineer primarily serving Minnesota municipalities, working on City project delivery for a variety of street, utility, and trenchless projects. Before joining SEH Dave served as Public Works Director/City Engineer for the cities of Savage and Shakopee Minnesota and Assistant City Engineer for West Bend, Wisconsin. He has over 40 years of civil engineering experience and is a registered Professional Engineer in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota. He is past president of the Minnesota Chapter of APWA and very active in their Education and Training Committee. Dave has been an instructor in the Minnesota Public Works Certificate program since 2012.