Victor J. Pujals, P.E.

Director Emeritus, Cuban American Association of Civil Engineers

Mr. Pujals is a civil/environmental engineer with over 40 years of experience in the management and implementation of major multi-million-dollar capital improvement projects (CIPs) for municipal clients in the water and wastewater fields. He also has extensive experience serving in serving in key roles as project director or advisor and technical reviewer of project deliverables and performance in firm’s Southeast Group services in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Since 1994, he has worked on various project assignments for the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD). Prior to the proposed Project Director/Management assignment for the OOL Program, he served in the following roles:

Project Technical Advisor/Quality Control Reviewer, CDM Smith assignments under the Ocean Outfall Legislation (OOL) design Task Orders and Consent Decree (CD) services during construction for Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD), Miami-Dade County, Florida. Beginning in 2015, CDM Smith has been assigned numerous Task Orders for design services either as a Subconsultant or as Prime Consultant on the CD and OOL Programs at the South, Central and North Districts Wastewater Treatment Facilities. Mr. Pujals works with the project management team delivery team to meet client project requirements, meet quality expectations, on time delivery of work products and financial performance. 

Project Director, South Miami Heights WTP, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD), Miami-Dade County, Florida. As project director for the South Miami Heights WTP, Mr. Pujals led a multi-discipline team in the preparation of a design criteria package for the WASD procurement of design, construction, and operation services for a 20-mgd WTP as a design-build-operate and finance project. The design criteria included criteria for finished water quality, criteria for a WTP capable of treating water from two sources (Biscayne Aquifer and the Upper Floridan Aquifer), criteria for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver Certification, criteria for the production wells and transmission mains, and criteria for operations of the future plant.

Project Director/Quality Manager, Design Services for Wastewater Treatment Plants Related to Consent Decree (CD) Projects, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals served as the project director/quality manager for CDM Smith’s provision of services as a subconsultant for design services related to WASD’s CD projects. As part of this work, CDM Smith served as a subconsultant for the preliminary design, design development, construction documents, permitting and bidding services, and design services during construction for upgrades all three of WASD’s WWTPs (South District, Central District, and North District) for capital improvement projects specified by the EPA and FDEP.

Quality Manager, Water Distribution Replacement Prioritization, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. CDM Smith, as a sub-consultant to the prime, provided support to assist WASD staff in developing a risk- based approach to ranking the water mains for inspection, renewal or replacement activities. The risk-based approach employs a number of factors for both the consequence and probability of a pipeline failure to calculate the overall risk each water main segment represents to the system. Mr. Pujals served as technical reviewer and provided QA/QC expertise.

Technical Advisor, Retail Potable Water and Wastewater Master Plan, Broward County, Florida, 2016. CDM Smith was responsible for developing a Retail Potable Water and Wastewater Master Plan for a future forecast year of 2040 to address retail facilities within the County’s four service areas (known as Districts 1, 2, 3A, and 3BC). As part of this effort, our team developed the hydraulic model of the County’s retail potable water, water, and wastewater systems, utilizing ESRI ArcGIS, InfoWater, and InfoSWMM, respectively, to develop a detailed and accurate model. In addition, our team was also responsible for data collection and cataloging. Mr. Pujals served as technical reviewer and provided QA/QC expertise.

Technical Director, Alexander Orr Jr. WTP Professional Services Agreement, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals provided technical oversight for the implementation of comprehensive engineering services on the Alexander Orr Jr. WTP with a treatment capacity of 248 mgd, the largest WTP in Miami-Dade. Services have included design of plant upgrades and expansions, including renewal and replacement (R&R) projects. Among the projects conducted under this contract are a chloramine evaluation and nitrification study, construction management services for the aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system at the South and Southwest Wellfields, a lime softening and sodium hexametaphosphate evaluation, and design of improvements to the in-house plant water use accounting. An assignment for the conversion from gas disinfection to on-site disinfection using an on-site generation system (OSG). The project included preliminary site investigations, preliminary design reports, preparation of design and contract specifications, permitting and procurement services, bidding assistance, and services during construction.

Program Manager (Interim), Program Management Consortium, Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), Puerto Rico, 9/2012 to 1/2013. For the multi-million-dollar water and wastewater infrastructure program in PRASA’s south and west regions in Puerto Rico, Mr. Pujals served as interim program manager for CDM Smith’s service to PRASA in the CIP in various regions of Puerto Rico.

Technical Reviewer, Stormwater Management Master Plan, City of Miami Beach, Florida, 2011. The City selected CDM Smith to update the stormwater master plan (SWMP) to meet flooding conditions that are becoming more frequent and noticeable to the community. The technical component of this project requires a multi-disciplinary team to address geotechnical, structural, electrical, and civil aspects of a series of projects to control flooding in a tight urban environment. The current alternatives include 55-acre feet (17.8-million gallons [MG]) stormwater vault and seven different pump stations for more than 150-cubic feet per second (cfs) peak capacity, as well as other outfall improvements with tide flex valves, pump stations, and gravity pipe system upgrades. Mr. Pujals served as a technical reviewer for this project.

Technical Reviewer, City No. 3 Pump Station Rehabilitation, City of Coral Gables, Florida, 2010. The City was concerned about the City No. 3 Pump Station’s integrity and age, and retained CDM Smith to provide design, permitting, and construction services for the new pump station. For the triplex dry pit station, Mr. Pujals served as technical reviewer and provided quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) expertise.

Project Director, Water and Wastewater System Engineering Services, City of Miami Beach, Florida, 2007. Mr. Pujals oversaw CDM Smith’s engineering services to the City’s Public Works Department and the office of CIPs. The assignments included computer modeling of the water distribution and wastewater pumping/transmission system; design of the 25th Street Water Pump Station and 3-MG storage tanks, the Terminal Island Water Booster Station and 16-inch diameter water main, and the South Pointe Wastewater Booster Pumping Station; and construction administration services for the water and wastewater pump station upgrades.

Technical Reviewer, Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Survey Rehabilitation, City of Miami Beach, Florida, 2009. Mr. Pujals served as a technical reviewer for the City’s Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Survey Rehabilitation project, which was conducted to determine the locations and causes of Infiltration/Inflow (I/I) to identify problem areas and recommend cost effective corrective actions, including how to mitigate or reduce infiltration from entering the system. As part of this project, over 70,000 feet of sanitary sewer lines and 500 manholes were inspected. The rehabilitation efforts implemented have resulted in a 58-percent reduction in I/I in seven basins that in 2006 were not in compliance (Basins 11, 19, 27B, 28D, 29, 31A, and 31B) with the Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM) standard.

Regional Performance Manager (RPM), Florida/Georgia Region (FGR), Florida and Georgia, 2008 to 2012. Mr. Pujals served as RPM for the public service unit in the FGR with over $50 million in annual revenue. As RPM, Mr. Pujals oversaw project execution and financial performance in the region, including the implementation of the CDM Smith Quality Management System.

Project Director, Wastewater System Services Biosolids Master Plan, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida, Florida, 2006 to 2008. Mr. Pujals was the project director for the development of a Biosolids Master Plan Report after an in-depth evaluation of biosolids treatment technologies to produce Class AA biosolids. Approximately 30 technologies were initially evaluated as part of a preliminary screening. As a result of the preliminary screening, three technologies were selected to continue the final selection process. These technologies included composting, advanced digestion, and heat drying. The team also evaluated the possibility of a combined regional biosolids processing facility, to enable WASD to meet the County’s objectives of Class AA, continue to adequately treat current flows, accept future flows, meet regulatory requirements, and extend the service life of the facilities for another 20 years.

Project Director, Water System Services, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2008 to 2010. Mr. Pujals was responsible for directing CDM Smith services to WASD in the water system field. Most recently he directed the water facilities master plan update which included assisting the Department obtain a 20-year water use permit (WUP) from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). His prior involvement included projects associated with control of disinfectants and disinfection-by-products at the Hialeah-Preston Complex; investigation of groundwater under the direct influence of surface water consideration, and water treatment process impacts at the Hialeah-Preston plants; siting and permitting assistance at the proposed South Miami-Dade (Miami Heights and Redlands) wellfields; and the water treatment aspects of the Water System Master Plan Update (2003) as a subconsultant.

He assisted the WASD in 1995 to1997 with the implementation of the Biscayne Aquifer West Wellfield Program. He was involved in evaluating and designing improvements (e.g., ultraviolet (UV) disinfection) to the aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) system at the west and southwest wellfields to allow year-round usage and avoid weather related permit limitations.

Project Director, Water Facilities Master Plan Update, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals directed the water facilities master plan update for WASD. The update had two main goals: assisting the County in obtaining a 20-year water use permit (WUP) from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and to provide a “road map” for the purpose of scheduling capital improvements on the County’s water supply, treatment, storage, and transmission systems over a projected 20-year timeline.

Project Director/Technical Review, George T. Lohmeyer Regional WWTP Renewal and Replacement (R&R) Program, R&R CIP Projects, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The City of Fort Lauderdale owns and operates the 56.6-mgd George T. Lohmeyer Regional WWTP, where much of the equipment are reaching their useful life. Consequently, the City elected to proceed with master planning for equipment replacements. CDM Smith was selected to provide design, permitting, bidding, and services during construction for various replacement projects. Mr. Pujals has provided technical review on various related R&R CIP projects. Specific projects involved the installation of cryogenic oxygen generators, designed to generate high-purity oxygen. By installing generation equipment designed to create an environment of air that is over 95 percent oxygen, significantly fewer tanks were required since the microorganisms would be living in a highly oxygen-rich environment. By using high-purity oxygen, as opposed to conventional aeration, the WWTP needed to construct only two concrete reactors, as opposed to numerous open-air tanks.

Project Director, Water Facilities Master Plan Update, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals directed the water facilities master plan update for WASD. The update had two main goals: assisting the County in obtaining a 20-year WUP from the SFWMD and to provide a “road map” for the purpose of scheduling capital improvements on the County’s water supply, treatment, storage, and transmission systems over a projected 20-year timeline.

Technical Advisor, Alexander Orr Water Treatment Plant (WTP) R&R Program, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals provided technical guidance and QA/QC services to the implementation of R&R projects for the Alexander Orr Jr. WTP and the south Miami-Dade water supply system, consisting of five treatment plants.

Technical Advisor, Alexander Orr Jr. WTP Conversion of Disinfection System from Chlorine Gas to Sodium Hypochlorite Solution, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals provided technical guidance for the preliminary engineering report identifying major process, civil, mechanical, structural, electrical, and instrumentation and control (I&C) needs and changes for the implementation of a sodium hypochlorite disinfection at the 214.7 million gallons per day (mgd) WTP.

Technical Advisor, South District Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Water Reclamation Facility (WRF), WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals served as quality manager for the CDM Smith design of a 30-mgd advanced SDWWTP WRF—at the time, the largest consulting contract ever awarded by the WASD. This project was to be a fundamental component of the County’s Alternative Water Supply program and the first large-scale wastewater reclamation project in Miami-Dade County. CDM Smith provided planning, pilot testing, permitting, and design for the advanced water treatment plant. In 2011, WASD reassessed its financial commitment to the project as a result of the recession, and lower-than-expected increases in water demands. Consequently, WASD suspended the design of the SDWWTP WRF at the 90 percent completion point.

Project Director, Design of South Miami Heights WTP Program, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals directed the design of the 20 mgd South Miami Heights membrane WTP program with a construction value of over $60 million. 

Project Director, Biscayne Aquifer West Wellfield Program, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals assisted WASD with the implementation of the Biscayne Aquifer West Wellfield Program. He was involved in evaluating and designing improvements (e.g., UV disinfection) to the ASR system at the west and southwest wellfields to allow year-round usage and avoid weather related permit limitations.

Technical Advisor, Coastal Wetland Reuse Rehydration Demonstration Phase I and II Project, South District WWTP, WASD, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Mr. Pujals provided guidance to the team for the Coastal Wetlands Reuse Rehydration Demonstration Project (CWRRDP). The project consisted of a 1-mgd Water Reuse Demonstration Plant (WRDP) at the South District WWTP, a constructed wetland, and a baseline assessment and monitoring program of the Cutler Flow Way, the Canal, the Water Reuse Demonstration Plant, the Coastal Wetlands, and Biscayne Bay.

Project Director, Water and Wastewater System Engineering Services, Continuing Services, City of Miami Beach, Florida, 2007. Mr. Pujals was in charge of CDM Smith’s engineering services to the City’s Public Works Department and the office of CIPs. The assignments included computer modeling of the water distribution and wastewater pumping/transmission system; design of the 25th Street Water Pump Station and 3-MG storage tanks, the Terminal Island Water Booster Station and 16-inch diameter water main, and the South Pointe Wastewater Booster Pumping Station; and construction administration services for the water and wastewater pump station upgrades.

Project Director, Planning and Implementation of the Glades Road WTP Program, City of Boca Raton, Florida, 2006. Mr. Pujals directed the $60 million CIP for the 40 mgd membrane softening (nanofiltration) plant at the Glades Road WTP. This program included extensive membrane pilot testing, wellfield evaluation and rehabilitation along with final plans and specifications for the plant design. Mr. Pujals was also project director for various programs including the City’s water system capital improvements at the Second Avenue pump station ($1.9 million), and the Southwest 18th Street pump station and storage tank ($3.0 million). He also directed the City’s conceptual design for a 20 mgd membrane softening process addition at the Glades Road WTP.

Project Director, Planning and Implementation of the Water Plant Consolidation Program, City of Deerfield Beach, Florida, 2005. Mr. Pujals was also project director for the City’s planning and development of the water plant consolidation program components with a total CIP of over $30 million. These components included: wellfield evaluation and rehabilitation; water plant phased improvements and membrane pilot testing; 10.5 mgd membrane softening plant addition; water distribution system computer modeling and analysis; and the associated financial components included rate study and state revolving fund (SRF) loan.

Project Director, Planning and Implementation of Water System CIPs, City of Coral Springs, Florida. Mr. Pujals was project director for the City’s $15 million water system CIP for over 10 years. These improvements included upgrades to the WTP ($8 million), the eastside pump station and storage tank ($1.5 million), and a new wellfield ($2.0 million).

Project Director, Planning and Implementation of Water System CIP, City of Lauderhill, Florida. Mr. Pujals served as project director for the City’s $10 million water system CIP. The CIP included phased rehabilitation of the water plant, upgrading the booster pump station, a wastewater system supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, and various engineering analyses.

Project Director, Wastewater System CIP, City of Sunrise, Florida. Mr. Pujals was project director for the City’s $50 million CIP, which included expansion of the WWTPs and effluent deep well injection, remote booster pumping stations, SCADA system vendor prequalification and implementation, and a 20,000-square foot utility administration building.

Project Manager, Glades Road High-Service Pumps and Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), City of Boca Raton, Florida, 2001. Mr. Pujals oversaw the design, permitting, and bidding services for improvements to the facility. The new VFDs were housed in a new electrical room built adjacent to the existing electrical room. The existing eddy-current clutches were decoupled from their pump and motor and removed. The motors were then moved forward and directly connected to the pumps. The existing power distribution system was modified, and the existing medium voltage starter cubicle was modified to accommodate a 4,160-volt feeder breaker to provide power to the VFDs. Instrumentation design modifications included those directly associated with the electromechanical components of the VFDs.

Project Manager, Various Projects, Boca Raton, Florida. He was project manager for the City’s WTP process control and staffing analysis; the City of Boca Raton’s water master plan update; the upgrading and design of Lee County’s Olga and Corkscrew WTPs; the design of the City of Coral Springs’ water plant expansion to 12 mgd; and various improvements to the City of Deerfield Beach’s water supply, treatment, storage, and distribution system.

Project Director, WTP Process Analysis, City of Boca Raton, Florida. Mr. Pujals was also project director of a WTP process analysis for the City that included the pilot testing of filter media, ozonation, membrane filtration, and activated carbon.

Project Director, Water System Master Plan, City of Jacksonville, Florida. For the City, Mr. Pujals directed the water treatment element of the water system master plan.

Project Technical Review/Team Member. Mr. Pujals participated in CDM Smith projects for the Dallas, Texas, Water Utilities Elm Fork water plant expansion to 330 mgd and a pilot plant process study at Evansville, Indiana’s, 60 mgd water plant.

Project Engineer, Franklin WTP, City of Charlotte, North Carolina. He was project engineer responsible for the preliminary design of the expansion to the raw water and high-service pump stations for the Franklin WTP (96 mgd).

Project Manager, 140-mgd Surface Water Filtration Plant, Medellin, Colombia. Mr. Pujals was project manager and onsite representative in the design of a 140 mgd surface water filtration plant.

Project Manager, Water Softening Treatment Plant Expansion, City of Boca Raton, Florida. Mr. Pujals was project manager in the design and construction of a $15 million, 40 mgd expansion to the City’s water softening treatment plant to 70 mgd.

Project Manager, Water Improvements, Seminole Tribe of Florida. Mr. Pujals was project manager in the design and construction of water improvements for the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Project Engineer, WTP Design and Expansion, City of Naples, Florida. Mr. Pujals participated in the final design of a 10 mgd expansion of the City’s WTP to 30 mgd.

Project Engineer, WTP Expansion, City of Huntsville, Alabama. Mr. Pujals provided engineering services during design and construction of an 8 mgd expansion of the City’s WTP to 24 mgd.

Project Engineer, Studies and Designs, Various Cities. Mr. Pujals conducted engineering studies and designs which led to the implementation of water and wastewater system improvements for the Florida Cities of Plantation, Highland Beach, Hallandale, High Springs, and Winter Haven, as well as in Nassau, the Bahamas.

Water and Wastewater Improvements Experience. Mr. Pujals has directed, managed, or participated in water and wastewater improvements from design through construction for projects in Cities of Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Lauderhill, Plantation, Highland Beach, Hallandale, Miami Beach, Naples, Sunrise, and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Lee County, and Broward County. These projects in Florida included the following:

• Water system hydraulic analyses in Boca Raton, Coral Springs, and Deerfield Beach
• Sewer system expansions in Hallandale
• Wastewater lift station analyses and improvements in Deerfield Beach and Coral Springs
• Water storage and repump station additions in Lauderhill, Deerfield Beach, Coral Springs, and Boca Raton
• Analyses of treatment and improvements to reduce trihalomethane (THM), haloacetic acid (HAA), and color levels at the WASD Hialeah-Preston water plants.

Professional Activities

Member, Florida Engineering Society, Miami Chapter

President, Florida Engineering Society, Miami Chapter, 2005/2006 and 2004/2005 

Vice President, Florida Engineering Society, Miami Chapter, 2003/2004

Publications Director, Florida Engineering Society, Miami Chapter, 2002/2003 

Member, Advisory Council for Engineering (ACE), Florida International University (FIU), 2004/2005

Member, American Academy of Environmental Engineers (AAEE) 

Life Member, American Water Works Association (AWWA) 

Member, Florida Engineering Society (FES), Miami Chapter 

Engineer of the Year, Florida Engineering Society (FES), Miami Chapter, (2006) 

President, Florida Engineering Society (FES), Miami Chapter, (2004/2005)

Member, National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)

Member, Miami-Dade A/E Society, Inc. (MDAES)

Board of Directors, Miami-Dade A/E Society, Inc. (MDAES), (2004 to 2020)

Member, Cuban-American Association of Civil Engineer (C-AACE)

Secretary, Cuban-American Association of Civil Engineer (C-AACE), (2009 to 2011)

Vice President, Cuban-American Association of Civil Engineer (C-AACE), (2011/2013)

President, Cuban-American Association of Civil Engineer (C-AACE), (2013/2015)

Past President and Board of Directors, 2016/Present