Author(s): A. R. Graddon; G. Kuczera; M. J. Hardy
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Keywords: Urban; Water; Harvesting; Reuse; Modelling; Optimisation
Abstract: The UrbanNet framework combines two approaches to enable the modelling of centralised and decentralised urban water systems. The first, urbanCycle, simulates water supply and demand, stormwater and wastewater using allotments as the basic building block. The second, WathNet uses network linear programming to allocate water across complex networks. This framework allows the investigation of a wide variety of scenarios for Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) schemes. Because there are a huge number of IUWM possibilities, the selection of the optimal scheme from an economic, social and environmental perspective represents a significant problem. This study investigates the use of multi-criteria optimisation within the UrbanNet framework to identify the Pareto optimal trade-off solutions. A case study involving a small town with 5 residential clusters with a total 500 allotments and a commercial cluster demonstrates the UrbanNet framework. It considers potable and non-potable use, and recycling of stormwater and wastewater. A multi-criterion optimization of decentralised storage options is undertaken to explore the trade-off between capital cost and reliance on centralised potable supply.
Year: 2011