Managing combined sewage systems in large cities discharging to coastal waters, often bearing recreational activities, remains a challenge. Studying the impacts of such discharges requires the development of specific models. Hydrodynamic and water quality modelling of coastal waters employs numerical methods and algorithms, leading to the design of complex models which require expert use. The use of such models as decision support tools to simulate discharge impacts and define adequate corrective measures could represent a key part in meeting this challenge. In this paper, the authors describe the work undertaken to develop an operational decision support system (ODSS) methodology aiming to enable wastewater utilities' non-expert staff to carry out user-friendly scenario analysis based on computational fluid dynamics simulations. This article depicts the application and validation of the ODSS to the combined sewage system and the Tagus estuary of the city of Lisbon in Portugal. The ODSS was used for simulating the effects in the receiving coastal waters of a discharge caused by a scheduled maintenance operation in the sewage infrastructure. Results show that the use of such ODSS by non-expert staff increases their decision capabilities and knowledge of the wastewater utility's contribution to reducing negative impacts of sewage discharges on the receiving water bodies.
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Research Article|
July 09 2015
Operational decision support system for large combined sewage systems: Lisbon/Tagus estuary case study
P. Póvoa;
1Simtejo, ETAR de Alcântara, Av. de Ceuta, 1300-254 Lisboa, Portugal
E-mail: p.povoa@adp.pt
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A. Nobre;
A. Nobre
1Simtejo, ETAR de Alcântara, Av. de Ceuta, 1300-254 Lisboa, Portugal
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P. Leitão;
P. Leitão
2Hidromod, Rua Rui Teles Palhinha no. 4,1°, 2740-278 Porto Salvo, Portugal
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P. Galvão;
P. Galvão
2Hidromod, Rua Rui Teles Palhinha no. 4,1°, 2740-278 Porto Salvo, Portugal
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H. Santos;
H. Santos
2Hidromod, Rua Rui Teles Palhinha no. 4,1°, 2740-278 Porto Salvo, Portugal
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A. Frazão;
A. Frazão
1Simtejo, ETAR de Alcântara, Av. de Ceuta, 1300-254 Lisboa, Portugal
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R. Neves;
R. Neves
3Instituto Superior Técnico – IST, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
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J. S. Matos
J. S. Matos
3Instituto Superior Técnico – IST, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
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Water Sci Technol (2015) 72 (8): 1421–1427.
Article history
Received:
January 28 2015
Accepted:
June 25 2015
Citation
P. Póvoa, A. Nobre, P. Leitão, P. Galvão, H. Santos, A. Frazão, R. Neves, J. S. Matos; Operational decision support system for large combined sewage systems: Lisbon/Tagus estuary case study. Water Sci Technol 1 October 2015; 72 (8): 1421–1427. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2015.352
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