Page History

The Plant Cost Calculator subteam(PCC) and Water Treatment Technology Selection Guide (WTTSG) subteams have been merged into one team: the WTTSG team. The team's goal is to create deploy a live plant cost calculator based on plant flow rate or population served and develop a guide to indicate the constraints that determine which technology is best suited for different levels and types of contamination. Together, these can serve as part of the front end of the AguaClara Automated Design Tool.The Water Treatment Technology Selection Guide subteam's goal is to create an expert, , which provides estimates of plant costs to parties interested in AguaClara technology, and an interactive technology selection tool that empowers water  supply professions the same parties to make better decisions and to learn which constraints determine which technologies are appropriate. We need to smart decisions about what water treatment technologies can best serve their needs. Both endeavors of the WTTSG team must take into consideration the realities of resource and skill constraints of communities, and consider they should follow sustainable engineering practices. . For Fall 2014, the plant cost and technology selection tools need to be redesigned for better user experience, and to be more aesthetically engaging. Functionality will be developed to make the tools' output easier to interpret and to interact with. These websites should be pushed live to the AguaClara website by the end of the semester.

The Spring 2014 WTTSG teams developed basic working versions of the PCC and WTTSG tools. These websites have little interactivity and UI/UX design, but can make appropriate calculations. They are currently hosted on a localhost. The Fall 2011 team developed a Water Treatment Technology Selection Guide in Microsoft Excel, using the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) language. Within the WTTSG, there are five hydraulic-driven unit treatment processes featured, resulting in 11 unique combinations of treatment under consideration. In addition to providing an optimized result for the user, features within the WTTSG include a section on technology write-ups, and a list of questions to allow a layperson to pose to technology vendors.

To enhance the functionality of the WTTSG, the following points can be considered:

1. To continue to update the removal efficiency figures of the unit treatment processes featured in the WTTSG - for example, the performance data for the SRSF should be updated in the WTTSG after operations have stabilized.
2. To develop a database of regulatory guidelines/standards pertaining to drinking water within the WTTSG.
3. To consider the inclusion of other combinations of unit treatment processes within the WTTSG.
4. To explore synergies between the use of the WTTSG and the AguaClara Program. One approach could be to develop a web-based version of the WTTSG, directly linking prospective communities to the AguaClara Program if there is a match in solution and needs.