An integrated performance assessment framework for water treatment plants.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Water Treatment Technologies
• Public Health

Background:

• Traditional water treatment plants (WTPs) require robust performance assessment methods.
• Evaluating the reliability and robustness of treatment units is crucial for ensuring water safety.
• Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) provides a health-based approach to water quality management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an innovative framework for WTP performance assessment.
• To integrate reliability, robustness, and QMRA into a unified performance evaluation system.
• To assess the performance of a three-unit WTP under variable conditions.

Main Methods:

• Developed performance functions for coagulation/flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration units using turbidity robustness indices.
• Created a performance function for chlorine disinfection based on achieved versus required CT values.
• Established a health-based performance function comparing target and site-specific daily infection rates.

Main Results:

• The proposed framework successfully assessed the performance of individual and combined treatment units.
• Health-based performance functions identified whether targets were met during unit failures.
• The integrated approach provides a comprehensive view of WTP performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework enables operators to ensure multiple barriers function effectively under dynamic conditions.
• This approach enhances the reliability and safety of drinking water treatment.
• The integration of QMRA provides a critical health-based perspective on WTP performance.