Oscar Orlando Ortiz-Rodriguez
University of Pamplona, Colombia
Title: Using life cycle assessment as a tool for potable water treatment plants (U-LCA-PWTPs)
Biography
Biography: Oscar Orlando Ortiz-Rodriguez
Abstract
Currently, there is great concern about those processes which directly or indirectly contribute to climate change and other environmental impacts. In this context, and provided that water treated constitutes a basic public utility delivered in urban centers around the world and in some rural areas, the impact of its emissions on the environment has been considered to be of great interest. Hence, the current research applied the environmental methodology of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental loads of four potable water treatment plants (PWTPs) located in northeastern Colombia following international guidelines of ISO 14040. Th e diff erent stages of the purifi cation process, from the catchment point through pumping to the distribution network were thoroughly assessed. Th e functional unit was defi ned as 1 m3 of water treated. Th e results allowed determining that in plants 1 and 2, the fl occulation process has the highest environmental load, which is mostly attributable to the coagulant agent with a range between 47-73% of the total impact. In plants 3 and 4, electric power consumption was identifi ed as the greatest impact source with percentages ranging from 67 to 85%. By concluding, treatment processes and techniques, bioclimatic conditions and culturally driven consumption behavior vary from region to region. Furthermore, changes in treatment processes and techniques are likely to aff ect the environment during all stages of a plant’s operation cycle.