Optimal Management of Multistakeholder Macroscopic Water Networks with Social, Economic, and Environmental Considerations

This work presents an optimization model for macroscopic water networks, considering wastewater treatment, rainwater harvesting, allocation, and recycle/reuse. Given the pressing problem of water scarcity the world faces, it is important to address it while considering all of the stakeholders from various sectors. Furthermore, several intertwining objectives must be considered, including water resource conservation, social progress, and economic benefits. A systematic optimization approach is proposed to solve this problem. Trade-offs are established among the unsatisfied demand for domestic users, system profit, and the dynamic level of water wells. A superstructure is developed to embed configurations, considering domestic and industrial users. The users' water demands are seasonally dependent. Treatment options are considered to render the water in acceptable quality for its end use. The system has different storage devices that can be introduced at different locations in the targeted region. The solution of the optimization formulation provides a characterization of the design and operation of the macroscopic water system while providing the decision-makers with rigorous trade-offs and synergistic opportunities.