An optimization and decision support tool for long-term strategies in the transformation of urban water infrastructure

The predicted demographic, climatic, and socio-economic changes will require adaptations of existing water supply and disposal systems, most urgently in rural areas. This paper presents a joint interdisciplinary research project with the objective to develop an innovative software-based optimization and decision support system for long-term transformations of existing infrastructures of water supply, wastewater, and energy. Criteria such as transformation time and sequence, cost effectiveness, financial feasibility, energy efficiency, nutrient recycling, and public acceptance are implied. One major challenge of the work is to tailor the model according to the diverse requirements and demands of different future model users. A systematic stakeholder analysis has been carried out to reflect these diverse demands. Besides, the paper deals with the creation and scope of scenarios for the development of population, settlement structure, and water demand as well as the generation of infrastructural concepts.