Pittsburgh, PA – The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) announces the recent hire of Tony Igwe, a civil and environmental engineer with nearly three decades of experience helping municipalities and authorities solve wet weather control issues.
Prior to joining PWSA, Igwe worked on projects that covered wastewater, combined sewer overflow, and stormwater issues for large cities like Detroit and Cleveland before relocating to Pittsburgh with his family in 2002 to establish the Pittsburgh office of Wade Trim, a leading engineering firm. Under his leadership, the office secured a program management project for Three Rivers Wet Weather, Inc., that was modeled after the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project in Michigan. This began a collaborative approach to addressing Pittsburgh’s wet weather challenges in the early 2000’s.
It was a first for Pittsburgh ̶ regional stakeholders confronted with similar wet weather issues came together to begin discussing local stormwater challenges. This early process identified common interests and developed an initial understanding of the problems many communities share. Throughout the project, Igwe was instrumental in working with 3 Rivers Wet Weather and the 83 municipalities in the ALCOSAN service area to develop a regional flow monitoring plan and wet weather feasibility study reports. The results of the flow monitoring plan continue to be used today.
With Igwe at the helm of PWSA’s stormwater program, he brings deep technical expertise as well as the ability to guide the collaborative process that is critical to reaching the necessary solutions with stakeholders, regulators, and the public. His experience will help build PWSA’s stormwater program, which includes implementing stormwater projects identified in our five-year capital improvement program, developing the stormwater management master plan, negotiating our wastewater consent decree, and meeting obligations outlined in the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit that we hold with the City of Pittsburgh.
Will Pickering, PWSA’s Chief Executive Officer said: “We welcome Tony to PWSA and are thrilled that he will guide our stormwater programs into the future. His experience will strengthen our planning efforts and establish an effective and visionary approach to managing stormwater in Pittsburgh.”
Barry King, Director of Engineering and Construction said: “In his role, Tony will work with our stormwater group to help build our stormwater practice at a critical time of growth and opportunity. Tony is a key addition to our growing team and has supported PWSA for several years as a consultant on the Four Mile Run Stormwater Improvement Project, and since August 2020, as an embedded employee in the role of interim Senior Group Manager, Stormwater.”
Tony Igwe, Senior Group Manager, Stormwater said: “I am thankful for the opportunity to join PWSA at this challenging time with wet weather planning, climate change, and evolving regulations. I am looking forward to assisting the authority to develop resilient wet weather planning and implementing stormwater projects that improve the quality of life and helps establish Pittsburgh as a truly livable and world class city. The position gives me the opportunity to help finish what brought me to Pittsburgh in 2002.”
Igwe holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University and a Masters Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Wayne State University. Tony is a registered professional engineer in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
In his spare time Tony enjoys playing soccer and learning. He has recently completed a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and plans to volunteer with his church helping with pastoral care. Tony has four grown children, three are in the Pittsburgh area.
