Decision-support framework for the environmental assessment of water treatment systems

Abstract

Environmental assessments require the development and analysis of a large amount of data. Decision-makers must manage considerable amounts of information just to obtain a viable set of alternatives. The environmental assessment proposed in this study is a decision-support framework that facilitates obtaining results that endorse the decision-making process.This study aims to provide a fast and straightforward analysis of the influence of energy consumption in water treatment systems (energy-for-water) and its impact onto the environment, considering water quality requirements, water distribution systems, and how different energy combination setups affect these variables. The framework was applied to countries on the seashore experiencing water scarcity distress and world average greenhouse gas emissions regimes as examples, but it can also be applied to other types of systems.Energy-for-water greenhouse gas emissions can be decreased through the awareness-related measures reflected in the selection of energy sources, changing water desalination process, optimizing water intake, choosing water reuse, and using untreated seawater in industrial processes. Countries with the highest greenhouse gas emissions continue obtaining electricity from coal. Likewise, greenhouse gas emissions are lower in countries using nuclear energy as a source of electricity. However, the reliance on nuclear energy often depends on stakeholder approval.