Abel Wolman (June 10, 1892 – February 22, 1989) was an American inventor, scientist,

professor and pioneer of modern sanitary engineering. His work in supplying clean water

spanned eight decades.

Contents

1 Background

2 List of Honors

3 References

4 External links

Background

Wolman was born, grew up, was educated, lived and died in Baltimore, Maryland. He

graduated from the Baltimore City College in 1909, got a B.A. from the Johns Hopkins

University in 1913 and then a B.S. in engineering from Hopkins in 1915. From 1914 to

1939, Wolman worked for the Maryland State Department of Health, serving as Chief

Engineer from 1922 to 1939. It was during his early years there that he made his most

important contribution. Working in cooperation with chemist Linn Enslow, he standardized

the methods used to chlorinate Baltimore's drinking-water supply. His efforts there helped

develop the plan for Baltimore's water supply so thoroughly and effectively that it remains

well-provided for growth through the 21st century. His work also benefited water systems

in New York, Detroit and Columbus, Ohio. A collection of his writings has been published:

Water, Health and Society, Selected Papers.[1]

Wolman served as the Chairman of the Advisory Council for planning Israel's National

Water Carrier project (1950-1956).[2]

Wolman taught for many years on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University, where he

established the Department of Sanitary Engineering in 1937. He served as the department's

chairman until his official retirement in 1962.[3]

In May, 1966 the university named a newly

acquired dormitory Wolman Hall in his honor.[4]

Wolman became Editor of the American Water Works Association's Journal AWWA in

1919 and was responsible for making it into a monthly publication in 1924. The

Association presents the Abel Wolman Award of Excellence each year to recognize those

whose careers in the water works industry exemplify vision, creativity, and excellent

professional performance characteristic of Wolman's long and productive career.

In 1986, the City of Baltimore renamed its public works building, the Abel Wolman

Municipal Building, honoring his years of service to the city.[3]

Today, the Abel Wolman

building is where citizens of Baltimore come to pay their property taxes, parking fines and

metered water bills.[2]

Wolman's son, M. Gordon "Reds" Wolman, was an eminent geomorphologist who was also

on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University. M. Gordon Wolman was a member of the

National Academy of Sciences and an expert on water resources, public health, and

geography. Reds was the founder and for 20 years the Chairman of the Department of

Geography and Environmental Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University.[5]

He was also

known for inventing a technique for evaluating grain-size distribution in riverbeds, known

as the Wolman Pebble Count,[6]

which has helped geomorphologist to understand flooding,

sedimentation, and other physical impacts to a stream.[5]