One hundred years have passed since the three-volume "American Sewerage Practice" treatise was published in 1914 –1915 by Leonard Metcalf and Harrison P. Eddy. The initial publication quickly became the standard of care and established the foundation for modern wastewater treatment. The original concept of combining theory with a strong compliment of practical data and design guidance continues on in the fifth edition. The wealth of practical information continues to be a cornerstone of Metcalf & Eddy publications, and has led to its reputation as the number one wastewater practice textbook.

New advances in technology continue to occur at a record pace in all fields including wastewater treatment. As a result this fifth edition includes numerous advances and represents the current state of the art information. AECOM takes great pride in presenting this Metcalf & Eddy textbook, a comprehensive compilation of the best wastewater practices in use today.