Water Treatment Technology Selection Guide

The Plant Cost Calculator subteam's goal is to create 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, interactive technology selection tool that empowers water  supply professions to make better decisions and to learn which constraints determine which technologies are appropriate. We need to take into consideration the realities of resource and skill constraints of communities, and consider sustainable engineering practices. 

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.