Dr. David Wunder

Dean for Faculty Development and Research Initiatives

Departments:

Education

PhD, Environmental Engineering, University of Minnesota
MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa
BS, Civil Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Professional Experience

Currently Professor of Engineering and Calvin’s Dean for Faculty Development: Research, Teaching, and Learning
Founding Executive Director, Clean Water Institute of Calvin College
Past research projects in the following areas:
- The fate and impact of pharmaceutical antibiotics in biofiltration processes used for drinking water production
- The production and capacity of bagasse charcoal for dual use as a water treatment media and a fuel supply for stoves
- The role of divalent cations in wastewater treatments processes
Process engineering for varied municipal regional water projects, specializing in the optimization of biological treatment processes
10 years of experience with evaluation, planning, design, and construction of drinking water and wastewater treatment systems (prior to joining the Calvin faculty in 2004)

Current research and scholarship

Reactivation of an ancient Roman water system for modern use in Umm al-Jimal, Jordan
Sustainable disinfection practices for rural community water supplies in Ecuador
Evaluation and assessment of novel and proven point-of-use drinking water filtration technologies

Research and Scholarship

Drinking Water Distribution and Disinfection Improvements for Curahuasi, Peru

Curahuasi’s current distribution system is fed from natural springs located in the mountainside above the municipality. Due to the large vertical drop from the water source to end use, the distribution network experiences very high system pressures. This has required water shutoffs and inconvenience to the citizens of Curahuasi, due to the poor quality of their water system.

Calvin students, under the supervision of David Wunder and Robert Hoekema, have designed a much more efficient system with additional reservoirs to deal with the pressure issues.

Reactivation of Ancient Water Delivery System in Jordan

The challenge

Waves of refugees straining an already water-starved environment

What we do

Evaluate the system's surface water supply. This involves delineating the water basin, assessing the quality of the water, hydrologic modeling, and flooding mitigation.
Assess current conditions of the system through mapping and hydrologic and hydraulic modeling.
Evaluate the system's future operation — its adequacy to respond to the demand for water in surrounding communities. This involves designing options for the repurposed system, providing optimized capacity with minimized archeological compromise.

Academic disciplines

The Impact

Local
Regional

Water Disinfection in Ecuador

THE CHALLENGE

Diverse georgraphy and cultural practices

WHAT WE DO

Evaluate delivery systems (chemical and feed) and determine best practices and critical success factors.
Evaluate water chemistry and provide field testing methods.
Test water system dynamics for proper levels of disinfectant residual.
Evaluate palatability—the taste/odor-based rejection threshold for disinfected water.