Comparative life cycle assessment of four commonly used point-of-use water treatment technologies

Abstract

Abstract Across the globe, billions of people lack access to safe drinking water. Many different point-of-use (POU) technologies have been developed that significantly reduce the disease-causing pathogens found in untreated water. With many different technologies available, it can be difficult to choose which technology to implement in specific areas. Beyond the cost of each technology, the environmental impacts could bring additional harm to a community. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) are used to make comparisons across different technologies. This study uses an LCA to compare boiling water, ceramic water filters, BioSand filters and POU chlorination as treatment options in the rural community of Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province, South Africa utilizing previously published, open-access data. Global warming potential, water use, energy use, smog formation, particulate matter and land use are the studied environmental impacts. Results found that boiling had the most impact on energy use, global warming potential, smog and land use; chlorination had the greatest impact on particulate matter and water use. A cost comparison found boiling water to be most expensive at 0.053 USD per liter and chlorination to be least expensive at 0.0005 USD per liter.