Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) – Civil: Water Resources and Environmental

The NCEES PE Civil Reference Handbook is the primary allowed reference and is provided electronically during the exam. You may also bring bound, printed references (e.g., textbooks, design manuals, code books) as long as they are not loose-leaf or interactive. Key resources include the ASCE/EPA manuals for hydrology and wastewater, and your state's stormwater design manual. Organize your materials with clearly labeled tabs for each topic (e.g., 'Hydrology - Rational Method', 'Hydraulics - Pipe Flow', 'Wastewater - Activated Sludge'). Practice locating specific tables and equations quickly before exam day.

Most successful candidates study 150-250 hours over 3-6 months. A recommended strategy: first, take a diagnostic practice exam to identify weak areas. Then, spend 60% of your time on your weakest two topics (often hydrology and wastewater treatment). Use a structured review course or a study guide that follows the NCEES exam specifications. Solve at least 200-300 practice problems under timed conditions. In the final month, take full-length practice exams to build endurance and refine your time management.

The exam is approximately 70-80% calculation-based and 20-30% conceptual or design-oriented. Conceptual questions may ask about regulatory requirements (e.g., NPDES permit limits), selection of appropriate treatment processes, or interpretation of hydraulic grade lines. You must be comfortable with both quantitative problem-solving and qualitative engineering judgment. Do not neglect the conceptual material; it often carries significant weight.

The most common mistake is poor time management, often spending too long on a single difficult problem. Each question is worth the same number of points, so it is critical to move on after 6-8 minutes and return later if time permits. Another frequent error is misreading units (e.g., confusing cfs with gpm, or inches with feet). Always double-check unit conversions and ensure your final answer is in the requested units.

The PE exam is national in scope and tests generally accepted engineering principles and widely used standards (e.g., 10-State Standards for wastewater, EPA guidelines, ASCE manuals). It does not test state-specific regulations. However, you should be familiar with common federal regulations such as the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and NPDES permitting. For stormwater, the exam uses standard methods like the Rational Method and SCS Curve Number method, which are applicable nationwide.