Modelling and Integrated Assessment
With almost yearly activities in the form of Specialist Conferences, Watermatex (May 2007, Washington DC and June 2011, San Sebastian - Spain) and the WWTmod series (June 2008, March 2010, March 2012 Québec – Canada) this group targets people from research, consulting companies, institutions and operators to think along the use of models and computing tools to support the understanding, management and optimization of water systems.
The “Specialist Group” on Systems Analysis and Integrated Assessment might more properly be called the “Generalist Group”. Indeed, the group focuses on general approaches to solving a wide range of water-related problems within an interdisciplinary framework that relies a lot on different types of models. While methodology-focused, the group’s interest extends to applications, of course, but is not restricted to any single discipline; we deal with problems in sewer systems and water treatment, and surface-water and ground-water systems.
The first part of our charter—solving problems—leads us to explore such disciplines as systems analysis, simulation, mathematical modelling, control, optimization, time-series analysis and forecasting, and decision analysis and support. The second part of our charter—integrated assessment—brings all aspects of a problem together, and it is particularly concerned with such issues as the social and economic impacts of solutions to these problems.
Next to the above mentioned Specialist Conferences (the first Watermatex was held in 1987!) other activities of the Specialist Group include hosting and supporting Task Groups. The River Water Quality Model No1 published by IWA in 2001 is the result of such work. We are currently sponsoring three task groups: two that are running towards their culmination in the form of new Scientific and Technical Reports on “Good Modelling Practice” (http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn9781843391746) and on “Benchmarking of Control Strategies for Wastewater Treatment Plants” (http://www.iwapublishing.com/template.cfm?name=isbn9781843391463) and two new ones that have just gotten up to cruising speed. One focuses on incorporating uncertainty evaluations into model-based engineering projects and the other one aims at better understanding and eventually modelling greenhouse gases in wastewater utilities.
More information on these Task Groups can be found in the links provided below.
Task Groups
IWA Task Group on Benchmarking of Control Strategies for Wastewater Treatment Plants (appr. Sep. 2005)
IWA Task Group on Good Modelling Practice (GMP) - Guidelines for Use of Activated Sludge Models (appr. Sep. 2005)
IWA Task Group on Uncertainty (appr.2008)
IWA Task Group on The use of water quality and process models for minimizing wastewater utility greenhouse gas footprints.
Chair
Eduardo Ayesa
Head of Unit
Environmental Engineering
Paseo Manuel Lardizabal, 15
20018 Donostia-San Sebastian. Spain
Tel. +34 943 212 800 (Ext. 0000)
Fax: +34 943 213 076
Vice-Chair and Secretary
Ingmar Nopens
BIOMATH - Model-based analysis and optimisation of bioprocesses
Ghent University
Faculty of Bioscience Engineering
Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)9 264.59.32
Fax: +32 (0)9 264.62.20
Management Committee
see committee members here
Highlight Information
