He was the creator of an environmentally sensitive reclamation and reuse waste water system, co-author of the Clean Water Act while serving as the Scientific Advisor to the Secretary of the Army, was instrumental in the design of the national flood insurance program, and the author or co-author of 10 books and more than 50 technical articles on wastewater management, irrigation, floodproofing, and fresh-water resources.
Sheaffer had a long and distinguished career as a champion of reclamation and reuse, and was instrumental in the inclusion of these concepts in the landmark Clean Water Act Amendments of 1972.
His earlier dissertation at the University of Chicago on flood proofing served as a template for national, state, and local regulations on this topic.
President Richard Nixon recognized Sheaffer's efforts: "The innovative system of water-borne waste disposal which you have developed for Muskegon County, Michigan, came to my attention recently.
I understand that your imagination and dedication have led to the development of a new and promising approach to sewage disposal, and I want to commend you for your pioneering work in this vital field.” [3]President Jimmy Carter recognized his achievements in 1979 after Sheaffer built 2 other reclamation and reuse waste water treatment plants in Northglenn, Colorado and Itasca, Illinois: “This project [Northglenn] is one that is of great interest to me.