Simulation-Optimization Model for Artificial Groundwater Recharge Management Using a Treated Wastewater

In areas with limited water resources, the increases in water demands calls for alternative water sources. For such area one supply augmentation practice is the artificial groundwater recharge using wastewater effluent. The resulting reclaimed water is used primarily for non-potable purposes but under increasing stresses shifting to potable uses is also likely to happen. During recharge through the vadose zone and transport through the groundwater aquifer, the quality of water improves that are collectively described as Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT). In this paper, a SAT management model is developed that considers monetary, water quality, and environmental concerns. Within the SAT model, the shuffled complex evolution algorithm (SCE) is used as the optimization tool. In this application, SCE is integrated with the simulation models (MODFLOW, MT3DMS) to represent movement and quality transformation. One steady state case on a general hypothetical aquifer were examined using the management model.