C2.01 Water Transmission & Elevated Storage Tank
Sponsor: Freese & Nichols
Student Team: Michael Cartwright, Mark Peterman, Gabriela Solis, Otto Sanchez
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
This project focuses on the planning and design of an elevated storage tank system to support reliable water distribution in the City of Austin, including evaluation of pipe sizes to assess flow capacity and pressure performance. Transmission main alignments are developed to optimize hydraulic efficiency, accessibility, and overall project cost, and a hydraulic grade line (HGL) profile is prepared to verify system performance. Horizontal and vertical alignments of the transmission main, connection details, and suction valve placement are designed to ensure constructability, operability, and long-term reliability. Site development considerations such as paving, cut-and-fill quantities, environmental impacts, and traffic management plans that avoid existing utilities are incorporated to support practical implementation of the proposed system.
C2.02 Groundwater Treatment Plant Design
Sponsor: STV Inc.
Student Team: Drew Simmonds, Patrick Figueroa, Orlando Mora-Torres, Diego Aguilar
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
Alongside STV, we are designing a groundwater treatment system to remove iron and manganese as well as increasing the pH, alkalinity and calcium values for a 40 MGD water demand. The current amount of iron present in the water has a maximum level of 10mg/L, and it must be reduced down to an acceptable level based on regulations while keeping track of the other project parameters. Through site and code guidelines, specific sediment removal processes will be added into the water treatment system in order to reduce harmful sediments that are in the water currently while increasing the water hardness and pH.
C2.03 Iron Removal from Water via Sedimentation
Sponsor: STV Inc.
Student Team: Clay Kinsey, Mckenna Maeker, William Plunket, Gage Royer
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
The goal of this project is to design a portion of a groundwater treatment plant capable of removing high concentrations of iron and manganese at a flow rate of 40MGD. This project focuses on three phases of treatment where, 1) chemical adjustments are made to enable oxidation, 2) coagulation is boosted, and 3) flocculants and coagulants are settled out.
C2.04 2026 WEAT Student Design Competition
Sponsor: City of El Paso & Carollo Engineers
Student Team: Sydney Whelton, Jack Fowler, David Ixtabalan, Kenneth Martinez, and Kevin Raul Chavez
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
Hill Country Water Works is a student-led group tasked to develop upgrades for the John T. Hickerson Water Reclamation Facility in El Paso, Texas. Our work focuses on documenting the plant’s current performance and constraints, like recurring wet-weather peaks and higher organic loads, within site limits and TCEQ requirements. We’ll produce a clear hydraulic profile, phasing plan to keep the facility online, and an order-of-probable construction cost with operations considerations. The goal is a resilient, operator-friendly path that supports El Paso’s growth and protects the Rio Grande.
C2.05 Residential Land Development
Sponsor: CUDE Engineers
Student Team: Jesse Manchaca, Sebastian Delgado, Spencer Haynes, Adhish Shahi
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
Our team has been tasked with the comprehensive land development of a 10 acre lot in Seguin, Texas on FM 725. Our goal is to design a residential single-family community that maximizes the available lot space while meeting all local requirements and regulations. The project is split into two phases: the first phase produced a comprehensive land plan, while the second phase will develop the more detailed infrastructure design. This detailed infrastructure design will include roadway modeling, utility design, and site grading/storm water detention.
C2.06 Concrete Canoe
Sponsor: Ingram School of Engineering (ISoE)
Student Team: Adan Guerra, Ama Afrane, Jorge Rodriguez, Louis Smith, Daniel Tobon
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
The first intercollegiate concrete canoe competition took place in the 1970s. Since then, the designs and concepts have been elevated and expanded greatly, pushing colleges across the country to create lighter, faster, and more efficient canoes all while keeping them concrete. This year marks Texas State’s first time competing, and our team plans to design and build a canoe that balances lightweight construction, durability, and strong buoyancy to perform successfully and proudly represent our school.
C2.07 Water Transmission Project
Sponsor: HDR & Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA)
Student Team: Diego Guerra, Aaron Arroyo
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
The project entails the design of a regional water transmission line running from the southern area of the City of Austin to the City of Lockhart, intended to expand regional distribution capacity and accommodate increasing water demand. The proposed system will integrate key engineering design features and a comprehensive hydraulic evaluation to ensure operational efficiency, system reliability, and long-term performance. The transmission main is planned to support continued residential, commercial, and industrial development while improving supply resilience. By strengthening interconnections between service areas, the project will enhance overall water security and help address long-term resource challenges in the region.