Author(s): Sailaja Poudel; Peter Leonard; Sean Mulligan; Eoghan Clifford
Linked Author(s): Eoghan Clifford, Sailaja Poudel, Sean Mulligan
Keywords: Hydraulic Structures Wastewater Treatment Life Cycle Assessment Climate Change Sustainable Infrastructure
Abstract: Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) infrastructure is required to treat wastewater from different sources such as homes, industries, offices and hospitals before safely discharging to the environment. Even though WWTPs play an important role in safeguarding the environment, they also have some level of environmental impact during their construction, operation and decommissioning at end-of-life. It is important to holistically quantify these impacts to progress design and operation frameworks towards more sustainable WWTPs. In relation to the construction phase, efficient design can ensure reduced use of materials such as concrete and steel, however there are still gaps in understanding the magnitude of embodied impacts in WWTP infrastructure. This study evaluates the embodied carbon and other impacts of a typical small to medium scale wastewater treatment plant in Ireland (population equivalent of 9,000 people). The study initially focuses on a life cycle assessment (LCA) of raw materials, energy inputs and corresponding emissions related to key infrastructure such as the primary clarifier, aeration tank, secondary clarifier, and mechanical technology (aeration technology), from extracting and processing materials to manufacturing and transportation to site. The analysis was carried out using SimaPro v 9.6. 0.1. The methodology used was in accordance with EN15804 + A2 revision. Early results of the study show that in the context of embodied impacts, the aeration tank in the WWTP is the largest contributor, whereas the mechanical equipment used in WWTP is the lowest contributor. The normalized & weighted impacts indicate that global warming potential is a major contributor from the constriction of primary clarifiers, aeration tank and secondary clarifier whereas resource use (minerals and metals) is a major contributor compared to other environmental indicators for the mechanical equipment. The the final paper will include a full LCA on construction, operation (energy related emissions) and end-of-life analysis of mechanical equipment and evaluate scenarios for reducing emissions.
Year: 2025