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Drinking water and water resources for the Environmental PE, in 62 pages.
Focused review of the drinking water and water resources half of Section 1, Water, the largest knowledge area on the exam. Section 1 carries 19 to 29 of the 80 questions; expect 10 to 15 from this guide's material. Written for the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Environmental exam from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), to the April 2026 specification.
A comprehensive prep course runs $1,600 to $2,800. All six guides are $129 as a set.
62 pages · 24 worked examples · 8 Field Notes · prints cleanly
What the guide covers.
Only the most-tested material makes the cut. Derivations, untested background theory, and very low-frequency topics are omitted to keep your study time focused on what matters the most.
- Hydraulics and fluid mechanics. continuity, Bernoulli and the energy grade line, Hazen-Williams and Darcy-Weisbach pipe flow, Manning's equation, critical depth, and pump analysis
- Hydrology and water resources. the Rational Method, the NRCS Curve Number method, time of concentration and the unit hydrograph, detention and stormwater controls
- Stream quality. sources of pollution, watershed management, and Streeter-Phelps dissolved oxygen sag
- Safe Drinking Water Act framework. public water system classes, source water protection, and underground injection control
- Drinking water treatment. coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, disinfection and the concentration-times-time (CT) concept, softening, disinfection byproducts, and iron and manganese removal
- Distribution and residuals. distribution design and water age, Hardy Cross pipe networks, lead, copper, cross-connections, and treatment residuals
- Environmental chemistry. equilibrium, pH and alkalinity, equivalents and the ion balance, dose conversions, and mass balance
- Regulatory quick reference. key drinking water regulations, maximum contaminant levels and goals, log removal and inactivation credits, public notification tiers, design parameters, and sampling methods
Every topic, built the same way.
A consistent layout means you always know where to look, the same way you will move through the handbook on exam day.
01 · Concept
The key idea
What the exam is testing on the topic, stated plainly.
02 · Formula
Equations with units
Every variable defined, with the handbook page where the formula appears, or a note that you have to memorize it.
03 · Example
Worked in exam style
A full worked example in the multiple-choice format the exam uses, with the arithmetic shown.
04 · Mistakes
Where points are lost
The errors that cost candidates points on that topic, named so you can catch them.
Summary sections you will want to use
- Exam strategy for the section. Question count and weight, the calculation-versus-conceptual split, common traps, and what the handbook gives you.
- Regulatory and qualitative quick reference. The rules, limits, and distinctions the section tests, in tables, to support success on the qualitative questions.
- Key formulas summary. Every equation in the guide, grouped by topic, with unit conversions.
- Self-assessment checklist. Check off each subtopic as you master it.
Eight Field Notes from practice.
Short sidebars with the operating context textbooks leave out. They are what make the processes and the regulations stick.
Cover more of the exam for less.
Finish Section 1 · Water and Wastewater Bundle
Add the Wastewater guide and save $19
Water is 19 to 29 of the 80 questions. Both Water guides together are $39 instead of $58.
The whole exam · Complete Guide Set
All six guides for $129
One guide for every section of the specification. 348 pages and 118 worked examples, $174 if bought separately.
Not sure this is your weak area? · Practice Exam
Rank all seven reporting areas first
80 questions built to the 2026 specification, a separate solutions manual, and a score sheet that points each weak area at the guide that closes it.
Matt Bentley, PhD, PE
Environmental engineer, university instructor, and Technical Director at a water treatment chemical company in Colorado. Passed the Environmental PE in February 2026, on the first try, in under 80 hours. He wrote this guide from the materials he wished had existed when he was preparing.
Section 1 is 19 to 29 of the 80 questions. Walk in ready for it.
62 pages · 24 worked examples · or get all six guides for $129
Common questions
What does this guide cover?
This guide covers Sections 1A (water engineering applications), 1B (drinking water), and 1D (stormwater and water resources) of the April 2026 NCEES specification: hydraulics and pumps, hydrology and stormwater, the drinking water treatment train from coagulation through disinfection, distribution systems, residuals, and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Every formula cites the page of the NCEES PE Environmental Reference Handbook where it appears.
How many Environmental PE exam questions does this guide cover?
Section 1, Water, carries 19 to 29 of the 80 questions, the most of any section. This guide covers the drinking water and water resources half (Sections 1A, 1B, and 1D); expect 10 to 15 questions from its material. The Wastewater guide covers the rest of Section 1.
Is it written to the April 2026 NCEES specification?
Yes. It was written to the April 2026 computer-based testing (CBT) specification from the first draft and covers Sections 1A, 1B, and 1D. See what changed in 2026.
Does it reference the NCEES PE Environmental Reference Handbook?
Yes. Each formula cites the handbook page where it appears, and formulas the handbook does not print are marked as ones to memorize. The guide opens with a section on what the handbook gives you for this part of the exam.
What do I get, and how fast?
A 62-page PDF, downloaded immediately after checkout through Gumroad. It has 24 worked examples, 8 Field Notes, and 4 technical figures, and it prints cleanly.
Can I buy it with the other guides?
Yes. The Water and Wastewater Bundle includes both Section 1 guides for $39 instead of $58. The Complete Guide Set includes all six guides, one for every exam section, for $129 instead of $174.
Can I get a refund?
Because the products are digital downloads delivered immediately, sales are generally final. If something is wrong with a purchase, email matt@confluencepeprep.com and we will work with you to resolve it.