Black & Veatch's Dr. James Barnard Honored With 'OPAL' Industry Award for Work in Advanced Water Pollution Control

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., September 16, 2021 /3BL Media/ – Black & Veatch announces that Dr. James Barnard, global process and technology leader for the company’s water business, has been honored with the American Society for Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Outstanding Projects And Leaders (OPAL) award for design. The OPAL award is bestowed upon exceptional civil engineering leaders in recognition of their lifetime achievements. The ASCE selected Barnard his outstanding contributions to the field of design in advanced water pollution control.

The ACSE calls Barnard, who has been with Black & Veatch since 1998, “the most influential design practitioner in advanced water pollution control.” A recognized leader in civil engineering, the biological processes he designed for the removal of nitrogen and phosphorous from used water facilities are currently applied around the world. He has also worked extensively with universities and research facilities to share knowledge that can be applied to almost any activated sludge plant in the world, including reducing chemical pollution in the fermentation of biosolids.

Barnard has also published 180 papers highlighting his research on biological nutrient removal (BNR) and is internationally recognized for developing the revolutionary principles behind BNR. He is known as the “father of BNR.” For more than 50 years, Barnard has researched, developed and improved water and wastewater treatment processes to be more cost effective, eco-friendly and efficient.

“Having worked for so long to improve water pollution and treatment efforts and to make my work accessible to communities everywhere, I am so grateful to be honored by ASCE for my achievements,” said Barnard. “Ultimately, my work has been guided by curiosity and the desire to create solutions that benefit all people, and I hope these principles continue to drive progress in the field.”