Hanke was hired to continue the water-related research program at Johns Hopkins that began during the Geyer era. During his initial years in the department, Hanke focused on issues including water pricing and demand, benefit-cost analysis, system design, and leak detection and control. He produced a number of important pieces of scholarship, including the first event study of the impact of water meter installation on water use, as well as sewer interceptor design criteria which are still commonly used today in Europe.