| Welcome to the Home Page of Phillip Butterfield | |
| Phillip Butterfield, PhD, PE Associate Research Professor Civil and Environmental Engineering Washington State University Spokane Spokane, Washington 99210-1495 Phone: (509) 358-7761 E-mail: butterfield@wsu.edu |
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Research
Drinking Water Systems
Biofilm plays an important role in the microbial quality of the drinking water that comes from a faucet in a home or business. One important area of research involves the study of pathogens and the role biofilm plays in providing a home for the pathogens as well as protecting them from the action of biocides such as chlorine.
Water Reuse
Water reuse involves taking water of a lower quality, such as the treated effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant, treating the water to attain higher quality, and then using the water for a beneficial use such as irrigation or recharge of groundwater aquifers. Maintaining the microbial quality of reuse water within storage tanks and distribution pipelines is important to assure there is minimal risk to the end user with regard to waterborne disease. Biofilm on the walls of pipes and tanks can play an important role in determining the quality of the delivered reuse water.
Small Water Systems
Many small water systems have been implicated in the outbreak of waterborne disease. Tools have been developed to assist operators and managers of small systems in identification of those parts of their system that could have the greatest risk for contamination.
Teaching
Environmental Health
Classes taught in environmental health include Water, Wastewater and Health, and Environmental Health Microbiology Laboratory
Environmental Engineering
Classes taught in environmental engineering include Introduction to Environmental Engineering, both for engineers and non-engineering students, Environmental Engineering Laboratory, and Engineering Hydrology.