The aim of the project is the developement of a methodology and computational methods for the description water quality changes in a water supply network. From the point of water intake and the entry of water in a water supply network, up to the discharge in a receptor body, several changes occur in water quality characteristics, which result in the deterioration of its quality. The project concentrates on the development of tools for the quantification of this change in the entire water supply network, according to the requirements of 2000/60 Directive, for an integrated management of water resources. In addition, tools will be developed for the assessment of indirect environmental costs that result from water quality changes. In this case environmental costs represent the cost for the necessary treatment of water discharges up to the initial water quality level, or the cost of using one equivalent, in quality and quantity, water intake source.
The project includes the following stages:
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Analytical bibliographic review of available methods for the estimation of water quality changes in water supply netrworks.
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Selection of suitable methods for modelling water quality changes.
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Development of methods for modelling water quality in water supply networks
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Consolidation of the above method, and integration in a decision support tool.
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Application of the tool in a case study, testing of the method and analysis of indirect costs.
The final deliverable of the project will be a Decision Support System, which will be used in forecasting water quality changes in supply networks.
The project is funded from the Ministry of Education and spans a duration of one and a half year (2005 - 2006).
Project Participants
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Environmental & Energy Management Research Unit, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens
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Water and Air Analysis Laboratory, Department of Environmental Studies, University of the Aegean