Dr. Andrea R.H. Cheng
Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin, 2004
M.S., The University of Texas at Austin, 2001
B.S., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1998
Andrea R.H. Cheng, Ph.D., PE, is a Principal Management Specialist at CDM Smith, with over 22 years of industry experience. An expert in drinking water systems, Cheng specializes in water quality, lead corrosion, and lead service line replacement (LSLR), with a particular focus on the digitization of business processes. Her role at CDM Smith will center on addressing the pressing challenge of lead in drinking water, leveraging her extensive background to benefit clients and communities.
Cheng's impressive career includes her most recent position as Commissioner for the City of Chicago’s Department of Water Management (DWM), where she oversaw two of the world's largest conventional water purification plants and managed over 4,300 miles of water mains serving 5.3 million residents. Under her leadership, Chicago’s lead sampling program became the largest voluntary initiative in the U.S., with 110,000 sampling kits distributed since 2016. Her notable achievement was the development of the Equity LSLR program, which prioritized low-income homeowners and utilized Community Development Block Grant funding for lead line replacements.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in civil (environmental) engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and both a master’s and Ph.D. in civil (environmental) engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Cheng’s contributions to the field have been recognized by her induction into the University of Texas at Austin Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 2022.
Cheng’s professional affiliations include membership in the American Water Works Association (AWWA) since 1997, where she has served in various capacities including Chair of the Young Professionals Steering Committee and Board Member for the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. Her expertise spans water and sewer utility management, lead and corrosion control, advanced treatment processes, and emerging contaminants research, demonstrating her versatility and leadership in addressing complex water utility challenges.
