Title: Techno-economic analysis of sustainable water management techniques - a case study of residential township in India

Authors: Rijuta S. Bapat; Vasant A. Mhaisalkar; Rahul V. Ralegaonkar

Addresses: Visweswaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, 440010, Maharashtra, India ' Visweswaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, 440010, Maharashtra, India ' Visweswaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, 440010, Maharashtra, India

Abstract: Technically efficient and economically viable methods of rooftop rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling and use of low flow devices for integrating in residential townships are identified. An integrated tool is developed for generating designs of identified techniques along with the estimates of capital costs required for installation and the total net present cost. It also calculates potential of water saving. A case study of a residential township in Nagpur, India has been presented. Unit cost and current net value of water using these techniques are calculated. Unit costs of water per cubic meter using rainwater harvesting, low flow devices and greywater recycling are found to be INR 230 (1USD = INR 55), INR 38 and INR 124 respectively. The current net value of water saved using rainwater harvesting; low flow devices and greywater recycling are INR 388,080 INR 162,437 and INR 70,560. Total cost of installation of these three techniques for the case study of residential township is INR 19,813,866, i.e., only 1.14% of the total cost of the project. This study enables prioritisation of practicing rainwater harvesting, use of low flow devices and greywater recycling for conservation of water as well as evaluation and allocation of the percentage of land area required for these techniques.

Keywords: rainwater harvesting; LFDs; renewable resource management; techno-economic analysis; net present cost; greywater recycling; India; sustainable water management; case study; residential townships; sustainability; low flow devices; water saving; water conservation; capital costs; unit costs; land use.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2016.076372

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.15 No.2, pp.201 - 215

Accepted: 17 Aug 2015
Published online: 05 May 2016 *

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