Optimal strategies for the financially sustainable management of drinking-water and wastewater networks

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The applicants propose to contribute to the knowledge-base required to implement Ontario Ministryof the Environment's (MOE) financiallysustainable drinking-water and wastewater system legislation byintegrating three major research themes. First, a hydrological simulation model will be enhanced to quantifythe interaction of groundwater and surface water flow with engineered structures representing the water and wastewater (as well as storm water) distribution system within the municipality, where this interaction occurs due to leaking water mains as well as sanitaryand storm sewers. Second, a strategic planning model for the watermain and sanitarysewer infrastructure will be enhanced to; further define performance indicators in order to quantifythe condition and operation of the infrastructure, surveyand estimate its actual current condition, project its deterioration over time under potential future operational conditions, and estimate the present value of the infrastructure as well as inflation in the unit cost of operation, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and replacement (OMR3) expenditures needed for PSAB reporting (CICA, 2007) associated with the MOE (2007) legislation. Third, a municipal control & optimization model will be developed to simulate the impact of alternative management strategies for balancing the revenue from prescribed water rates multiplied against the amount of potable water consumed as well as wastewater discharged, with expenses needed to fund OMR3 activities. The optimal management strategywill involve minimizing total OMR3 costs with a sustainable capital reserve to account for financial, engineering and hydrologic uncertainties. The outcome of the applicants' research is to develop software that integrates the proposed hydrologic, strategic planning, and control & optimization models into a single asset management system (AMS), and enables municipalities to complywith MOE's financiallysustainable drinking-water and wastewater system legislation. This asset management system will then be tested with the Cityof Waterloo and the Region of Waterloo serving as the pilot.