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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Cost-effectiveness analysis of sewer mining versus centralized wastewater treatment: Case study of the Arga river basin, Spain

A.l. Esteban-garcíaRamón Sala-garridoMaría Molinos-senanteFrancesc Hernández-sanchoIñaki TejeroMarta González-viarLoredana De-florioRubén Díez-montero

subject

EngineeringEconomics0208 environmental biotechnologyGeography Planning and DevelopmentDrainage basinContext (language use)02 engineering and technology010501 environmental sciences01 natural sciencesSewer mining0105 earth and related environmental sciencesWater Science and TechnologyHybrid membrane bioreactorgeographygeography.geographical_feature_categorybusiness.industryCost-effectiveness analysisEnvironmental engineeringDecentralized wastewater treatmentCost-effectiveness analysisEnvironmental economicsInvestment (macroeconomics)020801 environmental engineeringWater Framework DirectiveCost analysisSewage treatmentbusiness

description

ABSTRACT:In the context of the EU Water Framework Directive, a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) was performed to compare centralized and decentralized wastewater treatment strategies aimed to improve the ecological status of a Spanish river. The implementation of several hybrid membrane bioreactors within the urban framework for sewer mining (SM) was compared with the more common wastewater treatment plant enlargement option. The assessment ranked 6 alternatives based on 12 potential scenarios, aimed at narrowing the uncertainty of the CEA. The cost analysis illustrated that SM is the most expensive option regarding both investment and operation and maintenance costs. However, the effectiveness of the alternatives evaluated depends significantly on the scenarios considered, being SM the most effective in most cases. Finally, the cost-effectiveness ratio showed SM as the best cost-effective alternative. CEA provides an ecological-economic indicator useful to prioritize wastewater treatment alternatives to achieve a given objective.

https://doi.org/10.1080/1573062x.2014.991742