The Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering at ABU is a Department in the Faculty of Engineering of the University. It is the first of its kind in Nigeria and the only one in Black Africa. The Department was initially a Division within the Department of Civil Engineering and became a full-fledged Department in October 1980.
Prior to the creation of the Department, the Undergraduate Civil Engineering students at the university were exposed to some aspects of water resources and environmental engineering. The students were taught some elements of hydraulics and hydrology and were introduced to environmental engineering, irrigation and drainage as optional courses at the final year of their training. However, the total time available for formal instructions in these courses is far too small compared with the content of knowledge that should be imparted to the students to prepare them for a career in water resources and environmental engineering without an additional training at the postgraduate level. Experience has shown that a small percentage of graduate civil engineers continue their education at the postgraduate level and out of these, an insignificant number register for water resources and environmental engineering programmes. Consequently, the postgraduate approach of training does not keep pace with the manpower demand of the country.
In view of the above situation, several organisations which use water resources and environmental engineers, such as the River Basin Authorities, State Water Boards, suggested to the Department of Civil Engineering at ABU to enhance the instruction in water resources and environmental engineering at the undergraduate level. Such suggestions were neither few nor occasional, the pressure continued to build up. These suggestions were seriously considered but were found to be too difficult to implement within the Civil Engineering.
It is with the aim of meeting these requirements that a Water Engineering Division was established within Civil Engineering Department in 1977. This Division subsequently became a full-fledged Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering in 1980 and had its first intake of students in October 1981. Under the Department, appropriate courses are being offered leading to a Bachelor’s degree in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. Facilities are also available for postgraduate studies and research leading to the award of M.Sc./Ph.D. in the three areas of specialization – Hydraulics and Engineering Hydrology; Irrigation and Drainage Engineering; and Environmental Engineering. Recently, a postgraduate diploma programme in Water Resources Engineering and Management; and Environmental Engineering and Management commenced in 2011/2012 session.
To train high level manpower for effective service delivery to cater for water resources and environmental sectors for sustainable national development such as State Water Works, River Basin Development Authorities (RDBA), higher institutions of learning and carryout pipeline works and pollution monitoring and control activities.
Efficient and dynamic Department in producing high quality qualified personnel that will effectively manage water resources in harmony with the environment and be enterprising, self-reliant in carrying out works in the field of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering.
The undergraduate programme in water resources and environmental engineering at A.B.U. is a five –year degree programme post senior secondary school certificate examination (SSSCE) and it leads to the award of Bachelor of Engineering degree. The curricula provide a sound basis in Mathematics, engineering Science and Design. Also, instructions are given in the other relevant fields, which have direct impact on the profession in our contemporary society. Such fields include Economics, Law, Sociology and Management studies.
The first two years are regarded as the foundation years and are common to all engineering programmes in the Faculty of Engineering. The foundation years are intended to give the students a broad-based education underlying reengineering principles. The remaining three years are the professional years during which design and construction techniques and research and engineering judgement are emphasized particularly in the final year. In addition, practical work in form of students’ Work Experience Programme (SWEP) and Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) are linked with the formal lectures, tutorials, design and laboratory exercises.
The SWEP is designed to give basic skills and practice to all the 200 level Engineering Students in the Faculty. It lasts for eight weeks in Faculty during the long vacation of the second year. It lasts for eight weeks in the Faculty during the long vacation of the second year. The SIWES is designed to expose the students to situations in relevant industries and establishment and to give them the opportunity to apply the theory learnt in the practical aspects of the profession. The students are required to undergo two periods of SIWES. The first is for a period of 8 weeks during the long vacation following the third year. The second period is during the second semester of the fourth year plus the long vacation. The entire duration of this second period is expected to last for 22 weeks. Grading of both SWEP and SIWES is on a pass / fail basis. To qualify for the degree, a student must complete both SWEP and SIWES satisfactorily.