17-07-2025
Effective Project Management Implementation Leads Civil Engineer to Successful Water Treatment Project
Dedication and expertise, combined with the proper application of Project Management, resulted in the successful implementation of a major water treatment plant in the state of Kansas, United States. The combination of these efforts led to the optimal use of resources, ultimately benefiting a significant portion of the local population thanks to the efficient management of resources throughout the project.
The new water treatment plant has the capacity to produce 120 million gallons per day (MGD) of potable water. This volume is expected to serve around 20% of the population of Kansas. According to recent data, the state's population is close to three million residents. That means the project has the potential to serve approximately 600,000 people daily.
One of the professionals entrusted with this mission is Civil Engineer Rajthilak Ganesan. His theoretical and practical experience has enabled him to contribute effectively to the success of large-scale infrastructure projects such as this plant in Kansas. Rajthilak Ganesan is, therefore, a key member of the team, qualified to assess the success driven by proper Project Management.
"Initially, we can say that Project Management, when conducted within established guidelines, leads to unique optimization in the use of both human and material resources. Greater process control results in the satisfaction of stakeholders involved, internally and externally, as well as increased team engagement under more efficient timelines. It's about improving both the efficiency and the quality of the project being executed."
Today, modern management relies on a range of tools and methodologies to implement Project Management. The evolution of these practices began, notably, after World War II. In fact, the roots of modern project management trace back to the early stages of international conflict in the 20th century, as a consequence of the First World War.
Although the most visible effects came during the second major global conflict, early challenges from the late 1910s and mid-1920s already influenced the field. From the mid-1940s onwards, labor and raw material shortages due to global crises drove the need for more controlled service and product delivery, leading professionals to develop advanced techniques.
'We can say the United States pioneered this pursuit of productivity across various sectors, including multiple branches of engineering. The research was further developed and supported by Japan. Today, we have a wide range of tools to execute projects—like the new water treatment plant in Kansas—with a high level of excellence, just as envisioned in the early stages of these studies now being put into practice.'
Career Highlights
Originally from Tamilnadu, India, Rajthilak Ganesan is a Civil Engineer with a diverse background in Research and Construction Management. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering in India and worked as a Research Associate at the prestigious CSIR – Structural Engineering Research Centre in Chennai, India. During this time, he had the opportunity to collaborate with some of India's leading scientists in the field of concrete technology, gaining invaluable experience and knowledge—a privilege in itself.
Motivated by a desire to broaden his expertise, Rajthilak moved to the United States to pursue a Master's degree in Civil Engineering at California State University, Fullerton. There, he continued his research focused on cementitious materials, which culminated in a master's thesis and the publication of a scientific article. He also actively participated in several conferences and presentations, sharing his findings with the global engineering community.
He currently serves as Assistant Construction Manager at Burns & McDonnell Engineering, the firm responsible for the water treatment plant in Kansas. Passionate about engineering innovation and committed to sustainability, Rajthilak continues to push the boundaries in his field, aiming to improve infrastructure and serve communities through his work.
'Through innovative work, we've been able to tackle some of the industry's biggest challenges, including the demand for environmentally friendly, durable, and sustainable concrete. Cement is the second most consumed resource in the world, with over 4 billion tons produced annually. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the cement industry is responsible for about 8% of global CO₂ emissions. The use of SCMs (Supplementary Cementitious Materials) can reduce cement consumption by up to 40% and significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions,' the specialist said, highlighting one of the key achievements in his career.
Project Details
The project in which Rajthilak Ganesan is involved, through the "Northwest Water Treatment Facility," is being built on a 40-acre site with a $500 million budget. As previously noted, this new water treatment plant has a capacity of 120 MGD and will provide potable water to approximately 20% of Kansas's population. The project has also created more than 1,800 jobs, most of them local.
It stands as the largest infrastructure investment in the history of Wichita, Kansas. More than 77% of contracts remained within the local economy. Around 200 local vendors and contractors participated in the project, resulting in over $62 million in contracts awarded to emerging and disadvantaged businesses, and more than $400 million to local companies.
'In any construction project, the three critical factors are Schedule management, Cost management, and Risk management. Large-budget projects can quickly spiral out of control without effective oversight of these three areas, affecting profitability, company reputation, and future business opportunities'. On this $500 million project, Rajthilak Ganesan has been instrumental in overseeing all three. Rajthilak Ganesan have earned the respect of the project team and the client through his dedication, work ethic, and ability to handle challenging situations with professionalism—contributing significantly to the success of this landmark project.
Critical decisions involving schedule and cost management, all rooted in Project Management theories, directly affect the profitability and reputation of the company. This has made Rajthilak Ganesan's contributions even more valuable to the continued success of the project—one that provides vital benefits to more than half a million people in the area where he now works to improve quality of life.
