Melissa Brunger is New Chair of AWWA Modeling Committee
Senior Project Manager Melissa Brunger has been appointed chair of the national committee that establishes the standards and best practices for water system modeling.
Melissa, the Lead Technical Professional for our Water/Wastewater Planning Group, has started a three-year term chairing the American Water Works Association’s Engineering Modeling Applications Committee (EMAC). She also has served as the committee’s vice chair and recording secretary.
As chair, she’ll oversee initiatives that include revising AWWA’s manual of best practices for modeling, the Manual of Practice M32, which last was updated in 2017. The group also is writing a textbook on model calibration.
Melissa is among more than two dozen Freese and Nichols professionals serving in AWWA leadership roles at the national, state and chapter levels and helping to guide industry standards in their fields. For instance, Rusty Gibson, Lead Technical Professional in Transmission and Utilities – West, is new chair of the AWWA Steel Pipe Standards Committee, which is developing a new Standard for the Installation of Concrete Pressure Pipe. And John Fishburne, Senior Project Manager, North Carolina Water, Charlotte, is longtime chair of the AWWA Standards Committee 263 Polyolefin (HDPE&PEX) Pressure Pipe and Fittings.
Melissa said national involvement provides perspectives and new ideas from other parts of the country and “helps make sure that we’re staying up with developments in technology in our practice.”
“Being nominated and selected for this position shows recognition of Melissa’s expertise and contributions to the profession,” said Scott Cole, W/WW Master Planning Group Manager.
Melissa specializes in water and wastewater hydraulic modeling and GIS integration for master planning, CIP development, asset management and water quality studies. She has led more than 50 water and wastewater infrastructure studies, master plans, asset management studies, and impact fee studies for municipal clients across North Texas.