Obituary: Black & Veatch Veteran James L. Barnard, 90, Was Water System Safety Pioneer

Barnard’s early analysis addressed extreme eutrophication and water shortage challenges. His four-stage nitrogen elimination course of and growth of enhanced organic phosphorus elimination grew to become the idea for the world’s first full-scale organic nutrient elimination plant in Johannesburg, South Africa.. What started as a regional breakthrough finally reshaped wastewater therapy practices worldwide, in keeping with Black & Veatch.

He went on to information the design of greater than 100 international nutrient elimination amenities, together with milestone tasks on 5 continents. His management and technical insights supported massive and complicated therapy techniques in New York Metropolis, Hong Kong and different areas, the corporate notes.

Born in Cape City, South Africa, Barnard studied civil engineering at Stellenbosch College, positioned ln the city of that identify within the nation earlier than additional research on the College of Texas- Austin. After finishing his Ph.D. in water sources and environmental well being engineering at Nashville-based Vanderbilt College in 1971, Barnard returned to Cape City—a extremely populated space affected by a water scarcity and poor water high quality and the place water therapy requirements didn’t embody nitrogen and phosphorus elimination, inflicting extreme eutrophication.

“When observing the inexperienced pea-soup overflowing considered one of these reservoirs, I made a decision to pursue organic technique of eradicating these vitamins,” Barnard stated earlier than his retirement. “On the time, practices like chemical therapy and stripping and ammonia had been the usual. Organic therapy was nonetheless solely lab scale.” 

Convincing Johannesburg to use the method Barnard developed within the laboratory to its Goudkopples wastewater therapy plant, now one of many largest activated sludge organic nutrient elimination amenities in southern Africa, was a profession spotlight, Barnard stated. It now treats about 120 to 150 megaliters of wastewater per day. 

Barnard supervised the design, development and activation of the primary nutrient elimination system within the U.S. on the Palmetto wastewater therapy plant in Florida in 1978. One other key achievement was the improved efficiency of the Sacramento regional wastewater therapy plant.

“It was such a good design with all the pieces working so nicely. The amenities have all however eradicated ammonia and considerably diminished nitrogen within the discharge,” he stated.

At Black & Veatch, Barnard “expanded innovation, elevated the agency’s technical standing and mentored generations of engineers whose work continues to affect wastewater therapy practices and organic nutrient elimination design worldwide,” says Leon Downing, firm director of water options analysis.

He notes that Barnard’s “skilled status, scientific achievements and deeply private mentorship have left a permanent legacy on the worldwide water occupation and on Black & Veatch’s tradition and technical excellence,” including that his “design of amenities to realize organic nutrient elimination with a deal with operations and upkeep will likely be an enduring legacy within the trade.”

One factor “that made James completely distinctive was his unwavering deal with operations, listening to how the operations workers approached management on the plant, and determining what should be blamed for the outcomes they had been seeing,” says Chris deBarbadillo, firm plant optimization apply chief. “His capability to try this helped result in the various course of enhancements he revamped the a long time and that the trade adopted. Operators simply liked him.”

Amongst quite a few profession recognitions, Barnard acquired the Water Setting Federation Camp Award, Worldwide Water Affiliation Medal, American Society of Civil Engineers OPAL Award, Singapore’s Worldwide Warter Week Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, honorary doctorates from three universities and election to the U.S. Nationwide Academy of Engineering.

Barnard’s recommendation for younger engineers was to “be curious and query all the pieces. Don’t simply settle for that what’s within the field is closing.”