McGuire, Michael J.

Michael John McGuire (born June 29, 1947) is an American environmental engineer, laboratory director and writer whose career has focused on drinking water quality improvement. He has been recognized for his expertise in the control of trace organic compounds, inorganic contaminants and microbial pathogens in water. He is also known for his work in the identification, control and treatment of taste and odor problems in drinking water. McGuire combined the development of taste and odor analytical methods (where reliable methods to solve these problems did not exist) along with in situ treatment and oxidation. He developed a solution to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's (19 million customers) problem with trihalomethanes using ozone, peroxone and chloramines. He has published numerous articles in professional journals and he has been the co-editor of five books and compilations of articles. He published a book that documented the first continuous disinfection of a drinking water supply in the U.S. With Marie S. Pearthree, he wrote a book on the corrosive water debacle in Tucson, Arizona in 1992–94. He has been active in the American Water Works Association, and he has served as a volunteer and officer in that organization. In 2009, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.