An integrated performance assessment framework for water treatment plants

Water Res. 2012 Apr 15;46(6):1673-83. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2011.12.006. Epub 2011 Dec 13.

Abstract

An innovative framework for the performance assessment of a traditional water treatment plant (WTP) is presented that integrates the concepts of reliability, robustness, and Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA). Performance assessment for a WTP comprised of three units (i.e., unit 1: Coagulation/Flocculation and Sedimentation; unit 2: Filtration, and unit 3: Disinfection) was conducted. Performance functions for units 1, 2, and units 1 and 2 combined, were constructed by integrating turbidity robustness indices. Performance function for chlorine disinfection was developed based on the difference between achieved and required CT values. A health-based performance function was developed by comparing the target daily infection rate to the site-specific infection rate. It was used to identify whether the health-based target was met during the failures of units 1 to 3. Results obtained from the proposed performance functions can be used by operators to ensure that multiple barriers perform successfully under variable conditions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Disinfection
  • Filtration
  • Flocculation
  • Giardia / isolation & purification
  • Nephelometry and Turbidimetry
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Risk Assessment
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid
  • Water Microbiology
  • Water Purification / methods*
  • Water Purification / standards*