WaterTechnologies: Techno-economic Data

Technology data base and selector

The main entry point is the Technology Selector; it lists the technologies in a standard selector/navigator, showing:

1. technology name
2. last modification date
3. domain of application (currently one of: structures, allocation, supply, demand, quality).

Effects of Technologies

1. Structural changes: i.e.,
   • different network topology (reuse/recycling);
     this is represented by the appropriate diversion node(s) and connectivity, where the diversion rule can be modified to switch a given re-use branch on or off.
   • additional/bigger reservoirs:   this is represented by alternative reservoir geometry; to switch on/off a potential reservoir, it is included in the network, but with a default geometry including a storage volume of 0 (reservoir node disabled, inflow equals outflow; Re-sizing a reservoir can be done with a WaterTechnology, that scales the storage volume at a cost.
   • artificial groundwater recharge;
     same logic as above, the optional recharge node is represented with alternative multipliers for the flow time series.

     Implementation: Same as above: can be represented with a WaterTechnology; a (target) flow time series is defined, but has a default multiplier of 0; If the Recharge Technology is selected/applied, its scaling factor (default: 1.0) replaces the original 0 multiplier and thus switches the flow on.

2. Demand management: this basically includes technologies for different forms of water saving, i.e., by introducing a technology at a cost, we can satisfy the same useful demand with less water: and example would be low-volume flush toilets in hotels, or to change from flooding to sprinklers for irrigation; this also includes all technologies that reduce conveyance (and return flow) losses, such as better/new pipelines, lines canals; while this conceptually may be regarded as supply, in WRM conveyance losses are associated with DEMAND NODES.
   • Implementation: associated with Demand nodes, the technology can reduce
     • water demand
     • consumptive use
     • conveyance loss
     • return flow losses

3. Supply management:
   • pumped groundwater, subject to the availability of groundwater in the aquifer, a Technology can represent bigger pumps or deeper wells.
     A time series of low is defined (corresponding to the potential pumping with one or more alternative pumps, but disabled with a 0 multiplier.
     Switching on the pumping (at a cost) can be achieved with a WaterTechnology (Groundwater pumping or similar): If the Technology is selected/applied, its scaling factor (default: 1.0) replaces the original 0 multiplier and thus switches on the flow as prescribed by the target time series.
   • non-conventional water sources (desalination, harvesting),
     represented by StartNodes of the appropriate type with alternative multipliers for input flow; a multiplier of 0 switches the source off;
     Can be done with a WaterTechnology; a flow time series is defined, but has a default multiplier of 0; If the Technology is selected/applied, its scaling factor (default: 1.0) replaces the original 0 multiplier and thus switches the flow on.

   • Implementation:  technologies are associated with StartNodes and affect the associated loss terms; again a partial implementation can be represented with a scaling factor ranging from 0.0 to 1.0

4. Alternative Allocation: this may not directly be associated with a specific water technology: it simply modifies the rules under which water is allocation to different users, e.g., reservoir release rules, diversion rules and priorities. The controlling economic effect results from the differential benefits of water used in different sectors.
   • Implementation:  Applicable to DiversionNodes and Reservoir Releases for different consumers. The technology alternatives are associated with diversion nodes and include alternative diversion rules and parameters. A possible interpretation is a pumped diversion/extraction replacing a simple weir, or changes in priorities of allocation

5. Quality Management while an important aspect, the first release of the WaterWare optimization system doe not include water quality internal to the optimization procedure; water quality will initially be treated as a constraint, after a non-dominated solution based on quantity has been found.
   Implementation:   Quality related technologies are associated with treatment nodes only (scaling removal efficiency for specific pollutants), and are related to STREAM scenarios.

WaterTechnology Data Structure

An initial compilation of water technologies should therefor be structured like this:

1. NAME of the technology (short, < 16 characters)
2. SOURCE meta-data, describing the entry (free text);
3. AUTHOR (contributing the entry, automatically generated);
4. DATES of creation and last modification (automatically updated)
5. DESCRIPTION of the technology (URL of HTML text, can include images, provides a detailed description, background information
   Data import: an import dialog can select and import a text file including HTML tags from the client and install on the server as part of the data base entry and description of a water technology.
6. LOCATION (case study (geographical restriction) this applies to, GENERIC for all case studies by default)
7. DOMAIN (symbolic reference to: structures (dams), demand, supply, allocation, quality)
8. UNIT INVESTMENT COST (annualized investment costs, in Euro)
9. INVESTMENT REFERENCE UNIT (one of Mm3, m3, kn2, ha, m2, km, m, enterprise, household, capita, unit)
10. UNIT OPERATING COSTS (annual operating costs, OMR, in Euro) OPERATING COSTS REFERENCE UNIT (one of IRU, the investment reference unit; time (year, day); flow (m3)
11. TECHNOLOGY LIFE TIME (in years)
12. MINIMUM IMPLEMENTATION (%)

13. TECHNOLOGY EFFECTS:
    consisting of a group of parameters consisting of currently three: scaling factors or multipliers (these values are deemed to represent a theoretical 100% application rate; for partial application/installation rates, they will be corrected accordingly by the model), to affect three groups of values, namely:
    1. Water demand and Losses;
    2. Water Quality;
    3. Water supply.

14. Water Demand and Losses includes:
    • water demand reductions in %;
    • consumptive use reductions, in %;
    • conveyance loss reduction, in %;
    • return flow loss reductions, in %;
15. Water Quality applying to the emissions from demand nodes only:
    • BOD reduction in %;
    • tracer (arbitrary pollutant) reduction in %;
16. Water Supply (applies to start nodes only):
    • Incremental water supply, absolute flow in m3/s.