
Michael R. Markus, P.E., D.WRE, BCEE, F.ASCE
- Status:
- Awarded
- Awarded:
- Nominated Categories
- Excellence in Promotion of Infrastructure
- Other Categories
- Awards:
Licensed Civil Engineer No. 35071, State of California
Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer
Board Certified in Environmental Engineering
Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers
ASCE OC Branch recipient, Government Engineer of the Year Award, 2007
Engineering News Record Honoree, One of the Top 25 Newsmakers, 2007
Said Khoury Award for Engineering Construction Excellence recipient, 2009
Water & Wastewater International Honoree, One of the Top 25 Industry Leaders, 2014
Environmental & Water Resources Institute Honoree, Pioneer in Groundwater, 2017- Additional Files
- Additional Information
Candidate Information
- Name:
- Michael R. Markus, P.E., D.WRE, BCEE, F.ASCE
- ASCE Member?:
- Yes
- Company:
Orange County Water District
18700 Ward Street
Fountain Valley, CA 92708- Supervisor:
- Education:
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Master of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Southern California- Experience:
Orange County Water District (OCWD)
September 2007 to Present – General Manager
October 2002 to September 2007 – Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) Program Manager
May 1988 to September 2007 – Construction Manager
Major Projects Completed Under Mike’s Leadership:
• Groundwater Replenishment System:
Seven Individual Projects
$925M Total Design & Construction Costs
Largest Project - $300M, 70MGD Advanced Water Purification Facility – the largest potable water reuse facility in the world and winner of ASCE’s National Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award (OCEA) in 2009• Construction Projects
OCWD has numerous facilities consisting of percolation basins, diversion facilities, wells, pipelines, pumping stations, wetlands, laboratory buildings, administrative buildings, etc. Over the course of years these facilities have required rehabilitation and/or replacement. The design and construction of these facility rehabs or replacements were in a large part managed by Mike over a nineteen-year period.Carollo Engineers - May 1986 to May 1988
Peter Kiewit Sons Inc. – May 1976 to May 1986- Comments:
Mike is a civil engineer who has been able to step in and run a public agency dealing with all the required politics and yet has never left his roots and continues to this day to be a hands-on project manager who has also has never left his technical roots as a water engineer. In his 33 plus tenure with OCWD he has managed the design and construction of over $1.5B of facilities.
- Contribution to the Profession:
Member, American Water Works Association Executive Committee
Member, National Water Research Institute Board of Directors
Chairman, Water Research Foundation Board of Directors
Member, Association of California Water Agencies Groundwater Committee
Member, Association of California Water Agencies Water Management Committee- Civic:
Mike taught construction management at the University of Southern California for three years.
- Suggested Award Summary:
Mike Markus is the General Manager of the Orange County Water District. Mike has been with OCWD for over 33 years. During this time Mike has not only managed the design and construction of the world’s largest potable water reuse facility winner of ASCE’s National Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award (OCEA) in 2009 but has also managed the design and construction of over $1.5B of facilities for OCWD. These facilities have included, in addition to water purification facilities, percolation basins, diversion facilities, wells, pipelines, pumping stations, wetlands, laboratory buildings, and administrative buildings. Mike is routinely sought out for his expertise in developing and managing recycled water projects by his peers in the industry, regulatory agencies and political leaders throughout California.
Mike is a consensus builder and has an ability to get all members of the design and construction team willing to work together for the common goal of delivering the best project possible. Despite having to deal with the political realities of a public agency, Mike continues to this day to be a hands-on project manager who has also has never left his technical roots as civil engineer.
Mike oversees the management and operation of the local Orange County groundwater basin which includes operating injection wells along the coastline to prevent seawater intrusion; managing over 1,000 acres of recharge facilities in the cities of Anaheim and Orange to capture Santa Ana River supplies for recharge into the groundwater basin; storing water supplies for drought periods; developing projects to remove contaminants from the groundwater basin and operating an award winning water quality laboratory. OCWD’s management programs ensure sufficient water supplies are always available for the 2.5 million residents in the OCWD service territory. OCWD has a staff of 221 employees and an annual operating budget of $190 million.
2021 Project Awards
2021 Candidate Awards
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