Philip Benson is a Senior Principal Engineer based in Washington, DC, with more than 30 years of experience focused on project delivery in the water for power, mining, and manufacturing industries. Phil is a recognized expert in water management for power plants.
Phil helps clients by developing and leading high-performance teams; delivering consulting studies and designs; and developing and implementing business and technical strategies at the organization, region, market, client, and program levels. As an industrial wastewater senior technologist and project manager in the power, metals, mining, and general manufacturing industries, Philip has made significant contributions to the body of knowledge concerning toxic discharges from coal-fired power stations and mitigation measures and has performed projects at more than 30 power stations.
Phil advances the industrial water practice at Geosyntec, focusing on helping power companies respond to water management challenges created by the recently revised effluent limitations guidelines and the coal combustion residuals regulations, and on optimizing water management at mining facilities. Phil is a client-service leader in the water-for-mining sector, and he was involved in major projects and proposals including Rio Tinto, Barrick Gold, Teck Resources, and a major confidential potash mine development. Phil also helps with water projects for general industrial clients, which include the electronics, pharmaceutical, metals, aviation, automotive, and food and beverage industries.
He has led or sponsored many large environmental and industrial water programs, where he integrated client needs, regulatory requirements, and business constraints to deliver successful projects in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. These projects have involved complex regulatory requirements and time-sensitive delivery to meet business needs.
Phil received the Black Engineer of the Year Visionary Award in 2013, during the 27th annual BEYA Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference held in Washington, DC. In 2016, he was appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce to the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee, on which he served until 2019. He has presented papers on multiple topics relating to water management and sustainability in the power, manufacturing, and data center industries.
Contact Phil at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +1 202-780-2962.
Career Summary of Philip Benson, PE, PMP
- Specialties: Project and Program Management and Sponsorship; Chemical Engineering; Water for Power, Mining, and Manufacturing; Water and Environmental Engineering; Cooling Water Management; Design and Construction Project Delivery
- Practice Areas: Environmental Management, Water and Natural Resources, Water Management
- Disciplines: Chemical Engineering
- Education: BS, Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 1984; Construction Industry Institute Executive Leadership Program, University of Texas McCombs School of Business, 2007
- Registration: Registration: Professional Engineer: Virginia #0402020072, Tennessee #128583; Certified Project Management Professional, Project Management Institute: #61308


