EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Ted Corrigan, PE
A Full Circle Perspective
Ted Corrigan’s career of more than four decades in the water industry has come full circle with his decision to join AE2S as a Senior Consultant. Less than a year after he retired as CEO of Des Moines Water Works, Ted returned to the engineering consulting world where he first began his career.
A 40+ Year Career
“As a child, I was always interested in making or building things. Whether it was a treehouse in the backyard or a stereo cabinet in my bedroom, I took satisfaction from making something useful, says Ted. “I can’t say that I knew exactly what I was doing when I enrolled in the Civil Engineering program at Iowa State University, but I can say that I loved every minute of it. It was a perfect fit for me.”
“When I started my career, most folks seemed to be glad just to have water. Today, customers expect their water to be of the highest possible quality, which it should be, and it’s our job to provide it.” says the AE2S Senior Consultant.
After graduation, Ted spent five years in Chicago with Alvord, Burdick and Howson Engineers, a small firm specializing in water and water resources. When the opportunity emerged to return to his hometown of Des Moines as a staff engineer, Ted jumped at the chance. In all, he was at Des Moines Water Works for 35 years.
“I spent 10 years in the engineering department working on water transmission and distribution design and construction, hydraulic modeling, and the initial implementation of the utility’s first aquifer storage and recovery program. Then I moved to water production where I spent five years as the department Director. During that time, we commissioned a new 25 million gallons per day (MGD) lime softening plant which was remotely operated from our main plant 10 miles away. We also automated nearly every process in our original 75 MGD treatment plant,” Ted explains. “Then I served 12 years as the Director of Water Distribution which included responsibility for 1,400 miles of distribution system, 3,000 acres of park land, emergency operations, safety, security, etc. Next, I became Chief Operating Officer and ultimately CEO where I dedicated much of my time to the creation of Central Iowa Water Works, which is now a regional water supply authority serving 12 water systems and more than 600,000 residents in central Iowa.”
Ted’s credentials go well beyond Professional Engineer. He also holds a Grade 4 Water Treatment Operators Certification and a Grade 4 Water Distribution Operators Certification in Iowa. This is somewhat unusual in the world of consulting engineering because of the years of experience and direct operational responsibility required to sit for the exams. However, that experience will help him connect with clients seeking operational solutions.
Big Changes Over the Years
As someone who served in many engineering and utility management roles, Ted witnessed enormous changes to the water industry over the course of his career. Some of the greatest changes include automation, regulations, and customer expectations.
“When I started in the industry, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) was a new thing. Des Moines Water Works did not have a SCADA system when I started there in 1990. Now, SCADA operates three water treatment plants and more than 50 remote facilities from a single control center. Thousands of data points are tracked in real time and that data is used to make better decisions than would have been possible so many years ago,” says Ted.
When he started his career, the National Primary Drinking Water Standards had been in effect for less than one year. And none of the following high-profile regulations were promulgated yet:
- • Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments
- • Surface Water Treatment Rule
- • Total Coliform Rule
- • Lead and Copper Rule
- • Disinfection Byproducts Rule
- • Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule
“It was kind of the wild west in water treatment, but we grew and improved with every new regulation,” Ted says. “When I started my career, most folks seemed to be glad just to have water. Today, customers expect their water to be of the highest possible quality, which it should be, and it’s our job to provide it.”
A Noble Mission
Ted believes that everyone who works in the water industry is doing something that is truly important. “We have a noble mission – providing one of the few products that no person on earth can live without, safe, clean, drinking water. Delivering it directly to their tap with quality they can trust. I like being a part of that. There is nothing I would have rather done,” he says.
His devotion to the water industry includes participation in several state or national organizations. Ted has been a member of the American Water Works Association for 40 years, was the Iowa Section AWWA Treasurer for 10 years, and served on the national Fire Hydrant Standards Committee. In 2021, the Iowa Section AWWA selected Ted as the George Warren Fuller Award recipient. He is also a member of the Iowa Association of Water Agencies and a past member of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.
I believe life is about being of service and providing value,” says Ted. That belief is what guided Ted’s career and ultimately led him to AE2S. “This role gives me the opportunity to continue to provide value while doing something I enjoy. It’s also different than what I have done before, which interests me,” Ted says with a smile.
Family Life & Hobbies
Ted and his wife of 40 years, Linda, have two daughters, Rae and Lilly. This year is especially exciting for the whole family, as the first grandchild is expected to arrive in November.
Ted stays busy enjoying the outdoors, traveling, woodworking, and beekeeping. More than 100 of the Corrigan family’s closest friends take part in a honey harvest celebration each year at their farm. The event includes live music, food, drinks, and of course honey.
Whether it is coming out of retirement to share the benefit of his experience, throwing a much-anticipated annual party, or welcoming a precious new member to his family, Ted is a man who likes to stay active.