The IWEA SDC is intended to promote a real world design experience for students interested in pursuing an education and/or career in wastewater, water resources, and environmental engineering. This competition tasks teams to design a problem statement and present a project solution meeting the requirements of the problem that they have worked on as a team. This competition is intended for both undergraduate and graduate students. Students who are completing a capstone project or a design course can use that work as a submission, as well.
The 2026 competition is Monday, March 30 during IWPC at the Embassy Suites in East Peoria, IL.
Please use the links below to learn more about the Student Design Competition or to submit an application.
2026 Student Design Competition Guidelines
2026 Student Design Competition Application
The Water Environment Federation Website has more information on the Student Design Competition. Please contact Hanting Wang with any questions.
Congratulations to the winners of the Illinois Water Environment Association (IWEA) Student Design Competition (SDC). The Competition took place during the 2025 Illinois Wastewater Professionals Conference (IWPC).
The winning team, consisting of Jenna Andersen, Paul Borrego, and Mairead Shannon, represented Loyola University. As SDC winners, they received a cash prize, a travel allowance, and the opportunity to compete in the national SDC at WFFTEC 2025 in Chicago! Their presentation was titled Brookfield Zoo Automated Groundwater Polishing and Reuse.
