Szenarios für Stadtentwässerungs-Systeme

The basic technological approach to urban wastewater infrastructures systems originates from the last centure. Due to the subterranean situation of the pipe systems, the widely standardized waste disposal techniques, and high sunk costs the technology once chosen has a high path-dependency. In most industrialized countries, the physical structures of the wastewater systems require major efforts with respect to rehabilitation and reconstruction. Additionally, the increasing urbanization and the adoption of sustainability as the societal and environmental vision of today's society define new requirements to the design of appropriate (urban) wastewater infrastructures systems. The paper argues, that the substantial costs involved in repair and maintenance of the existing urban wastewater infrastructures demand to think about viable technological and organizational alternatives which take into consideration the intergenerational effects associated with the investments. Based on results of the recent German Technology Foresight Study Delphi '98 some generic options available for alternative urban wastewater systems are presented in four short scenarios.