Municipal Engineering Fundamentals for Non-Engineers

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

Registration Date/Time:
11/18/2025 8:00am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 11/18/2025  8:30am - 5:00pm Central Time
• 11/19/2025  8:30am - 5:00pm Central Time

• Instructors

  Benjamin Jordan

  Program Director

  Benjamin J. Jordan, P.E. is a Program Director at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, College of Engineering, Interdisciplinary Professional Programs, where he develops continuing education courses for civil engineers and public works professionals. He has over forty 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 Graduate Certificate in Public Management from the University of Missouri – Columbia. Mr. Jordan is a  Licensed Professional Engineer in  Illinois, Washington, And Wisconsin.

  Greg Fries

  Deputy City Engineer

  Greg Fries, PE is the Deputy City Engineer / Storm and Sanitary Sewer Section Manager for the City of Madison, WI. In his more than his more than30 years with the City, he has worked on projects in stormwater quality, flood control, erosion control, utility reconstruction and bioretention, as well as the City’s WPDES Stormwater Discharge Permit. He enjoys the challenges that come with designing, operating and managing effective, efficient and functional sewer systems. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental engineering and a Master of Business Administration from UW-Madison

  Andy Sikich

  Andy Sikich, PE  is Vice President - Civil Engineering at WBK Engineering, LLC. He has over 20 years of experience in municipal engineering, program management, civil engineering design, land development, project management, and construction management. Andy previously served as Director of Public Works for the Village of Downers Grove, IL  and Village Engineer/Assistant Director of Public Works for the Village of Hanover Park. IL. . He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Certificate of Graduate Study in Public Administration from Northern Illinois University. 

  Jim Fisher

  Senior Technologist

  Jim Fisher, P.E., is a senior technologist with 35 years’ experience at Jacobs (formerly CH2M Hill), specializing in treatment processes for municipal wastewater and combined sewer overflow (CSO). He has led numerous phosphorus compliance projects, including those at Madison, Appleton, Waukesha, and others. He has significant experience with process selection; capacity evaluation and design using steady state and dynamic modeling, stress testing, and bench scale testing; detail process and mechanical design; construction inspection; and facility startup and operation.

• Program Director

  Benjamin Jordan

Fee covers course materials, lunch, breaks and certificate of participation.

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

• Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
• Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
• You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

• Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
• Provide the registrations representative with:
  • the course name, dates, and/or course number.
  • the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
• Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
• Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

• Request Purchase Order information from interpro@union.wisc.edu
  • If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
• You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email interpro@union.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.