Environmental FE Exam Tips
5 expert strategies to help you pass the FE Environmental Exam
Master Water and Wastewater Treatment Calculations
Water treatment design problems are heavily tested. Practice calculating detention time, overflow rate, and chemical dosing for sedimentation basins, filters, and disinfection systems. Know the difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment processes and when each is appropriate.
Know Air Quality Regulations and Dispersion Models
Understand the Gaussian dispersion model and how to calculate pollutant concentrations downwind from a source. Know the major Clean Air Act provisions, NAAQS pollutants, and emission control technologies. Practice reading and interpreting stack test data and emission factors.
Review Hydrogeology and Groundwater Flow
Darcy's law and groundwater flow calculations appear regularly. Practice calculating hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity, and drawdown near pumping wells. Understand confined vs. unconfined aquifers and know how to interpret pump test data using the Theis and Cooper-Jacob methods.
Focus on Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
Know RCRA regulations, waste characterization procedures, and landfill design principles. Practice calculating landfill capacity, leachate generation rates, and gas production. Understand the cradle-to-grave tracking system for hazardous waste and the four characteristics of hazardous waste.
Study Environmental Chemistry and Mass Balance
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and dissolved oxygen sag calculations are exam staples. Practice the Streeter-Phelps equation for DO modeling in rivers. Know how to perform mass balance calculations around treatment units and mixing zones.
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