Water Practice and Technology (Apr 2021)

Sustainability assessment of wastewater treatment techniques in urban areas of Iraq using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)

  • Isam I. Omran,
  • Nabeel H. Al-Saati,
  • Hyam H. Al-Saati,
  • Khalid S. Hashim,
  • Zainab N. Al-Saati

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2021.013
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 2
pp. 648 – 660

Abstract

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Sustainable development is based on environmental, social, economic, and technical dimensions. In this study, the sustainability of wastewater treatment techniques in urban areas of Iraq was assessed using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)/the weighted sum model (WSM). The analysis was performed on 13 operating wastewater treatment plants in 10 provinces, Iraq, using a questionnaire sheet with the assistance of 52 specialists in the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works, Iraq. Four types of wastewater treatment techniques (Conventional Treatment, Oxidation Ditches, Aeration Lagoons, and membrane bio-reactor (MBR)) were assessed. The environmental, social, economic, and technical dimensions were represented by 11, 5, 7, and 4 indicators, respectively. The main results of this study indicate that the sustainability of MBR recorded the highest total importance; the order of the total importance from the highest to the lowest was: MBR > Oxidation Ditches > Aeration Lagoons > Conventional Treatment. The environmental dimension proved its dominance in the four studied treatment techniques' sustainability as it recorded the maximum contribution to sustainability. While the technical dimension recorded the least contribution to sustainability, the order from the highest to the lowest was: Environmental Dimension > Economic Dimension > Social Dimension > Technical Dimension. Highlights A multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) was used to assess the sustainability of 13 WWTP.; The weighted sum model (WSM) was to validate the analysis.; Chemical Treatment, Oxidation Ditch, Aeration Lagoon, and membrane bio-reactor (MBR) were studied.; 31 environmental (En), social (S), economical (E), and technical (T) indicators were analysed.; The effects of these indicators on sustainability of the WWTP was: En > E > S > T;

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