Flexible Booster Chlorination: Design and Operation for Water Distribution Systems under Uncertainty

Abstract

Uncertainty inherent in the operations of water distribution systems (WDSs) poses risks to public health due to the likely insufficient or excessive disinfectants caused by inevitable changes in WDS operations. A methodology that integrates flexibility in WDS operations and location of booster stations was formulated. The flexibility incorporated into the multiobjective problem facilitates more effective chlorine disinfection of WDSs by (1) minimizing the mass injection rate of both the treatment plant and booster stations and (2) minimizing the risk associated with chlorine disinfection in WDSs. The problem was solved using a nondominated sorting genetic algorithm. The decision variables are the locations of booster stations and the mass injection rates of both the treatment plant and booster stations. The results suggest that flexibility adds value in the chlorine booster disinfection of WDSs compared to deterministic solutions if WDSs are subject to uncertain water supply paths, operational interventions, and water demands.