Year-end Sale % OFF 
Abstract
Existing urban water infrastructures need to be modified if they are to cope with such challenges as demographic change, energy sufficiency and resource efficiency. It is believed that less centralised and hence more flexible systems adapt better to changing conditions. The main goal of this paper is to compare conventional and novel urban water infrastructures in five model areas in two German cities with regard to their sustainability. The novel technical options comprise modules such as blackwater and greywater separation, treatment and reuse as well as heat recovery, which are believed to be much more resource efficient than conventional systems. An assessment framework was developed which is able to comprehend corresponding transformation processes. An integrated assessment was conducted using multi-criteria decision analysis. The assessment results show that no particular technical option prevails over all the others and that the performance of the various options in the assessment is influenced by the general conditions found in the model areas. However, it can be concluded that novel water infrastructures can compete with or even perform better than conventional ones, especially when ecological and social criteria are emphasized.
Highlights
Existing infrastructures for urban wastewater disposal need to be transformed if they are to cope with such challenges as demographic and climate change, micropollutants, energy sufficiency or resource efficiency and conservation [1,2,3]
Internal discussions among the researchers resulted in the differentiation of criteria and indicators describing the direct impacts of the technical options whereas others represented the requirements of a transformation process
Based on the stakeholders’ criteria and weightings, the options were assessed by project researchers responsible for a specific topic or category because they were undertaking relevant research and had the largest database and/or overview of their topics. This approach enabled the technical option with the highest utility value of each of the five model areas to be determined within each weighting scenario. (The achievement degrees of all options and all indicators can be found in Supplementary Table S1.)
Summary
Existing infrastructures for urban wastewater disposal (and water supply) need to be transformed if they are to cope with such challenges as demographic and climate change, micropollutants, energy sufficiency or resource efficiency and conservation [1,2,3] In this context, conventional centralised water infrastructures are less flexible in the face of changing conditions due to their long lifetimes, high capital investment and lengthy depreciation periods [4]. Multiple and local water resources enable cities to reduce supply vulnerability by strengthening their resilience [16] Technological innovations, such as the separation of different domestic wastewater streams (e.g., greywater from showers and washing machines and blackwater from toilets), the use of treated wastewater for flushing toilets, watering and heat
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
