Grantee Research Project Results

2006 Progress Report: Multi-Objective Decision Model for Urban Water Use: Planning for a Regional Water Reuse Ordinance

EPA Grant Number: X3832204
Title: Multi-Objective Decision Model for Urban Water Use: Planning for a Regional Water Reuse Ordinance
Investigators: Anderson, Paul R. , Elam, Jesse A. , VanderVelde, George
Current Investigators: Anderson, Paul R. , Elam, Jesse A. , Miller, Gary
Institution: Illinois Institute of Technology , Illinois Waste Management and Research Center , Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission
Current Institution: Illinois Institute of Technology , Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning , Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: May 1, 2005 through December 31, 2008
Project Period Covered by this Report: May 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007
Project Amount: $255,000
RFA: Collaborative Science & Technology Network for Sustainability (2004) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , Sustainable and Healthy Communities

Objective:

We are working toward a long-term water resource management plan that includes reuse of treated wastewater. In this project we will work to:

Understand the water diversion/use in the Greater Chicago Area.
Identify causes of future water shortage problems.
Differentiate water use practices by drinking water/non-drinking water quality.
Outline an optimum water reuse system that includes wastewater reuse.

The water resource management strategies will consider the interests of local water users and the interests of water suppliers, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC; responsible for water reclamation), the local government, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Our objective is to build a decision support system that balances interests of stakeholders to maximize the social, environmental, and economic welfare of the local society. To meet the objective, this multi-objective decision model must be able to identify water reuse opportunities, prioritize these water reuse opportunities by cost factor, and optimize the allocation of urban water resources.

Progress Summary:

Based on current water use patterns and future water supply and demand projections for Northeast Illinois, it is likely there will be a future water shortage in the Chicago area. Reuse of treated wastewater can help address future water shortages, but a variety of issues will influence potential reuse. These issues include regulatory, policy, perception, and economic concerns.

Our case study of wastewater reuse potential near the MWRDGC Kirie facility demonstrates that wastewater reuse can be economical. The location of potential users relative to the source of treated wastewater, and the amount of water the potential users will need, determine supply costs. Water reuse supply costs are primarily a function of flow rate and pipeline length. These relationships are specific to each location.

Wastewater reuse scenarios in urban and suburban settings are different. Urban settings feature industrial clusters, relatively shorter pipeline distances, and high costs associated with installing a secondary distribution system in an urban setting. Suburban settings feature longer distances, fewer industrial clusters, and greater potential for irrigation of open spaces.

Perhaps the greatest barrier to reuse is associated with changing current practice and the potential for increased human exposure to waterborne pathogens.

Future Activities:

The major activity for the coming year is to complete the optimization model to assess wastewater reuse by industry in the Chicago area.

In addition, we will complete the regional wastewater reuse case study with the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District near Aurora, IL. The current most likely path to successful wastewater reuse at that location appears to involve a cooperative effort among the local park district, a major local industry, and the water reclamation district.

We will also complete assessment of potential economic benefits associated with incorporating a heat pump into a wastewater reuse system. We believe that an integrated water and energy recovery system holds great promise.

Finally, we are exploring a collaborative effort with the Illinois Center for Food Safety and Technology to work with the regional food industry to promote water reuse. The regional food industry, an important segment of the local economy, uses large volumes of water relative to their level of economic activity. They have expressed an interest in working with us to develop a more sustainable model for their industry.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 28 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

treated wastewater, reuse, GIS, health risk assessment, economic analysis, optimization, decision making,, Sustainable Industry/Business, RFA, Scientific Discipline, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Economic, Social, & Behavioral Science Research Program, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Economics & Decision Making, Sustainable Environment, Urban and Regional Planning, decision-making, cleaner production/pollution prevention, Resources Management, water conservation, enforcement, urban planning, water reuse ordinance, pollution prevention, ecological design, compliance costs, environmental law, wastewater, sustainable urban environment, environmental decision making, sustainable development, water evaluation and urban planning tool, Chicago, Urban water management, sustainable water use, decision support tool, decision making, barriers

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.