TY - JOUR
T1 - Case study and life cycle assessment of a coastal utility facing saltwater intrusion
AU - Saetta, Daniella
AU - Ishii, Stephanie K L
AU - Pine, William E.
AU - Boyer, Treavor
PY - 2015/10/1
Y1 - 2015/10/1
N2 - A case study was conducted on a saltwater intrusion event that affected a coastal water utility in Florida. The conductivity of the groundwater increased from approximately 500 to 4,000 ÎS/cm. The possible causes of the saltwater intrusion event were explored, and the steps taken by the water utility to manage the saltwater intrusion were documented. To understand the environmental impact of the saltwater intrusion event on drinking water treatment, the life cycle assessment (LCA) method was used, comparing the original water treatment plant with virtual treatment trains that could treat source waters ranging from freshwater to seawater. Specifically, the LCA results showed the change in environmental impacts between chemical-intensive and electricityintensive processes. As such, an LCA toolbox is proposed; with national and international participation, an LCA toolbox could be used by water utilities as part of the decision-making process when confronting major changes in water quality and treatment.
AB - A case study was conducted on a saltwater intrusion event that affected a coastal water utility in Florida. The conductivity of the groundwater increased from approximately 500 to 4,000 ÎS/cm. The possible causes of the saltwater intrusion event were explored, and the steps taken by the water utility to manage the saltwater intrusion were documented. To understand the environmental impact of the saltwater intrusion event on drinking water treatment, the life cycle assessment (LCA) method was used, comparing the original water treatment plant with virtual treatment trains that could treat source waters ranging from freshwater to seawater. Specifically, the LCA results showed the change in environmental impacts between chemical-intensive and electricityintensive processes. As such, an LCA toolbox is proposed; with national and international participation, an LCA toolbox could be used by water utilities as part of the decision-making process when confronting major changes in water quality and treatment.
KW - Case study
KW - Extreme event
KW - Life cycle assessment
KW - Saltwater intrusion
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U2 - 10.5942/jawwa.2015.107.0148
DO - 10.5942/jawwa.2015.107.0148
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84943186972
VL - 107
SP - E543-E558
JO - Journal of the American Water Works Association
JF - Journal of the American Water Works Association
SN - 0003-150X
IS - 10
ER -