Modeling Chlorine Decay in Reclaimed Water Distribution Systems—A Lisbon Area Case Study

Joana Costa, Elsa Mesquita, Filipa Ferreira, David Figueiredo, Maria João Rosa and Rui M. C. Viegas ()
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Joana Costa: Urban Water Unit, Hydraulics and Environment Department, LNEC—National Laboratory for Civil Engineering, Av. Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisbon, Portugal
Elsa Mesquita: Urban Water Unit, Hydraulics and Environment Department, LNEC—National Laboratory for Civil Engineering, Av. Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisbon, Portugal
Filipa Ferreira: CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
David Figueiredo: Águas do Tejo Atlântico, S.A., Fábrica de Água de Alcântara, Avenida de Ceuta, 1300-254 Lisbon, Portugal
Maria João Rosa: Urban Water Unit, Hydraulics and Environment Department, LNEC—National Laboratory for Civil Engineering, Av. Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisbon, Portugal
Rui M. C. Viegas: Urban Water Unit, Hydraulics and Environment Department, LNEC—National Laboratory for Civil Engineering, Av. Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisbon, Portugal

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 23, 1-13

Abstract: Climate change has emerged as a global challenge, with consequences for the environment and societies. To mitigate its impacts, reclaimed water (RW) offers potential by reducing water withdrawal and minimizing pollution discharges in the environment. Safe RW requires disinfection and a sound management of chlorine residuals throughout the RW distribution systems (RWDSs). This study focuses on implementing and calibrating a chlorine decay model using EPANET-MSX in a real RWDS, incorporating both bulk and wall decays. The bulk decay accounts for reactions of monochloramine formation, auto-decomposition, and depletion by a parallel second-order mechanism where monochloramine reacts both with fast and slow organic matter reactive fractions. Two wall decays were considered in the RWDS, one in the tank, modeled through an overall wall decay constant, and one in the pipes, modeled through a wall decay constant. Field experiments were conducted to calibrate the complete model. This model was used as a support tool to diagnose the RWDS status condition and cleaning needs, and to manage its operation. Through simulated scenarios considering monochloramine wall decays similar to those observed in drinking water distribution systems, the model allowed predicting adequate chlorine dosing in summer and winter scenarios, so as to guarantee monochloramine concentrations between 1 mg/L and 5 mg/L through the network. These results point to the potential use of much lower doses than the ones currently applied.

Keywords: chlorine decay model; monochloramine; reclaimed water distribution systems; EPANET-MXS; water reuse; sustainable systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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