Modular Wastewater Plant Design Size Optimization

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The municipal water and wastewater sector is considered to be one of the most capital intensive industrial sectors and unfortunately the American Society of Civil Engineers (2005) rated the condition of the drinking water and wastewater infrastructure systems as poor, citing specifically a lack of investment in capital assets over a prolonged period of time. Clearly, methods based on sound financial and engineering principles that enhance capital asset allocation strategies can add significant value to municipal decision makers. The focus of this proposal will be the optimization of wastewater plant expansions, with specific emphasis on modular staged plant expansion. The overall objective of the proposed research is to develop a methodology and tool that allows engineers and municipal decision makers to optimize wastewater plant expansions, and especially, in high growth population areas, to develop modular staged expansion strategies. Specifically, the methodology will be based on sound financial principles utilizing real options techniques that will allow the valuation to be viewed from both a governmental investment perspective, and from a private investor's. As well, the methodology will have a significant engineering component that allows a designer to choose different technologies to ensure that the required treatment is achieved. Capital and operating costs will need to be clearly accounted for. Finally, the methodology must be such that its fundamentals are easily understood by engineers so that its use is readily adopted.