integrated assessment of options for rural wastewater management in Austria

This paper reports a recently finished, interdisciplinary project on rural wastewater management in Austria. The objective of the project was to study alternative wastewater management options based on separation of the wastewater into its constituent parts, and to compare them with conventional one...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water science and technology 2007-01, Vol.56 (5), p.105-113
Main Authors: Starkl, M, Ornetzeder, M, Binner, E, Holubar, P, Pollak, M, Dorninger, M, Mascher, F, Fuerhacker, M, Haberl, R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acceptance
animal manures
Austria
Biogas
Blackwater
Case studies
City Planning
Conservation of Natural Resources
Cost analysis
Cost Control
Decision Trees
Ecological risk assessment
Empirical analysis
Environmental risk
Feasibility studies
Greywater
Hygiene
Life cycle
Life cycle costs
Life cycle engineering
Life cycles
Plants (botany)
Project management
Public Opinion
rural utilities
sanitation
Separation
septic systems
Sewage
Surveying
sustainable development
Urine
Waste Disposal, Fluid - economics
Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods
waste management
Wastewater
Wastewater management
wastewater treatment
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Summary:This paper reports a recently finished, interdisciplinary project on rural wastewater management in Austria. The objective of the project was to study alternative wastewater management options based on separation of the wastewater into its constituent parts, and to compare them with conventional ones. Thereby, a feasibility study of both conventional and alternative options for wastewater management in six model regions was carried out. Life cycle costs and social acceptance were analysed by using a case study-based assessment approach. However, hygienic and environmental risks were evaluated on a more general level. In order to complement the findings, a survey on urine separation system users in the Solar City of Linz was conducted. Based on these assessments and empirical findings, the paper concludes that options using a full separation of all wastewater fractions should be considered with care. Options based on a separation of only grey water and black water or in the liquid/solid phase can offer ecological and financial advantages over conventional options. Further, options combining wastewater management and regional biogas plants were identified as an interesting solution. However, legal constraints restrict this option currently.
ISSN:0273-1223
1996-9732
DOI:10.2166/wst.2007.562