HOUSTON, TX Freese and Nichols, Inc. announces that Somnath Chilukuri, PE, joins the firm as a Senior Project Manager for the Southeast Texas Treatment, Transmission and Utilities Group. Based in Pearland, Texas, Chilukuri will help Freese and Nichols expand its ability to serve municipalities throughout the region with a wide range of water and wastewater infrastructure services.

"As Southeast Texas continues experiencing rapid growth, more cities are seeking cost-effective solutions for expanding their water and wastewater infrastructure while complying with environmental standards," said Brian Coltharp, PE, President and CEO of Freese and Nichols. "Somnath will provide our municipal partners with another resource for innovative water and wastewater solutions. I am confident that he will be a valuable asset to our entire team."

Chilukuri joins Freese and Nichols with more than 17 years of leadership in conventional and advanced water and wastewater treatment projects. He has provided project management and engineering design for lift stations, reclaimed water systems, wastewater treatment plants, surface water treatment plants. He has worked extensively with public utilities in Southeast Texas, including the cities of Houston, Rosenberg, The Woodlands and Baytown and the San Jacinto River Authority.

Chilukuri earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Osmania University in India and his master's degree in environmental engineering from the University of Missouri - Rolla, now the Missouri University of Science and Technology.