Selection of sewage treatment systems based on Multicriteria Analysis - Evaluation of different preference structures

ABSTRACT

The main perspective of this work is the selection of sewage treatment systems for the Pardo river hydrographic basin, a watercourse located in the southern region of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, by using a Multicriteria Analysis, considering two different preference structures. Minimum Biochemical Oxygen Demand removal efficiencies were used as pre-selection criteria. The treatment systems hierarchy involved a set of environmental, technological, operational and social criteria. To conduct the Multicriteria Analysis, the ELECTRE II method was used. The results indicated that the imposition of standards for effluents led to the selection of activated sludge treatment systems variations, mainly for denser population centers. The incorporation of the watercourses self-purification capacities reduced the treatment effort within the basin, leading, for different urban centers, to the selection of stabilization ponds or Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactors treatment systems variations. The preference structures analyzed, however, led to the selection of different treatment systems for different urban centers and sewage discharge conditions, with more pronounced variations for localities presenting smaller populations.

Keywords:
hydrographic basin; sewage treatment; multicriteria analysis; Pardo river