Foreword The areas of environmental engineering and sciences and their related business activities have grown to the point that they overlap the professional and private lives of almost everyone As environmental issues become more complicated, so does the vocabulary required to understand and discuss them. This Environmental Engineer- ing Dictionary and Directory defines many terms that did not even exist a decade ago My own field of water reclamation and reuse is an example of a relatively new area of environmental engineering that has fostered the introduction of many new terms and technologies When considering advanced treatment of municipal and industrial wastewaters a repeated thesis has been that such a high quality effluent should be put to beneficial use rather than simply wasted. Today, technically proven treatment and purification processes exist to provide treated water of almost any quality desired. This offers a realistic framework for considering water reclamation and reuse in many parts of the world that are experiencing water shortages. Nonpotable water reuse applications such as agricultural and landscape irrigation, toilet flushing in large office buildings, and water for aesthetic and environmental purposes have become major options for planned water reuse Water reuse provides innovative and alternative options for agriculture, munic ipalities, and industries. However, water only one alternative in planning to meet future water resource needs. Conservation, efficient management and use of existing water supplies, and the development of new water resources based on watershed management or seawater desalination are examples of other alternatives As the field of environmental engineering continues to develop, so will the vocabulary required for its discussion and study. Our need to understand the envi- ronment and to better appreciate our relationship with nature is greater now than at any time in our history. Thus Toms book is particularly timely and relevant. Takashi asano, Ph.D. PE Adjunct Professor Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringForeword The areas of environmental engineering and sciences and their related business activities have grown to the point that they overlap the professional and private lives of almost everyone. As environmental issues become more complicated, so does the vocabulary required to understand and discuss them. This Environmental Engineer￾ing Dictionary and Directory defines many terms that did not even exist a decade ago. My own field of water reclamation and reuse is an example of a relatively new area of environmental engineering that has fostered the introduction of many new terms and technologies. When considering advanced treatment of municipal and industrial wastewaters, a repeated thesis has been that such a high quality effluent should be put to beneficial use rather than simply wasted. Today, technically proven treatment and purification processes exist to provide treated water of almost any quality desired. This offers a realistic framework for considering water reclamation and reuse in many parts of the world that are experiencing water shortages. Nonpotable water reuse applications, such as agricultural and landscape irrigation, toilet flushing in large office buildings, and water for aesthetic and environmental purposes have become major options for planned water reuse. Water reuse provides innovative and alternative options for agriculture, munic￾ipalities, and industries. However, water reuse is only one alternative in planning to meet future water resource needs. Conservation, efficient management and use of existing water supplies, and the development of new water resources based on watershed management or seawater desalination are examples of other alternatives. As the field of environmental engineering continues to develop, so will the vocabulary required for its discussion and study. Our need to understand the envi￾ronment and to better appreciate our relationship with nature is greater now than at any time in our history. Thus Tom’s book is particularly timely and relevant. Takashi Asano, Ph.D., P.E. Adjunct Professor Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of California at Davis