The Value of Groundwater Modeling to Support a Pump and Treat Design

Abstract

A wide range of rules, algorithms, and models are available to design an effective pump and treat remediation system. Often, one refers to the effectiveness of the developed pump and treat system to demonstrate how valuable the use of a groundwater model can be. An economic valuation of the groundwater model is usually missing. This study provides a framework that puts the discussion concerning the use of groundwater models in an economic perspective. It is not only demonstrated that a more effective pump and treat system can be designed using a groundwater model, but also the economic implications of using a groundwater model are calculated. A set of economic decision rules is applied to determine the economic value of a groundwater model. It is shown that investing in a groundwater model can be economically worthwhile. The remediation time is reduced, remediation costs are saved and the property can be sold more early. These benefits outweigh the costs of developing a groundwater model, and hence a positive net benefit (NB) is determined.

Analytic Element Domain Boundary Conditions for Site‐Scale Groundwater Flow Modeling Los Angeles Basin

“…Computer modeling is useful for the design and optimization of pump‐and‐treat (P&T) groundwater cleanup systems (EPA 1997, 1999a; Matott et al 2006; Compernolle et al 2013). Modeling is an important tool in helping to test and evolve the conceptual site model (CSM) that integrates geology and contaminant transport mechanisms (Kresic and Mikszewski 2013) and for P&T system design (Truex et al 2017).…”

Inexact multi-attribute decision analysis of groundwater remediation strategies with inputs of interval data

“…The condition is potential, imperceptible, persistence, toxicity and long-range migration. As one of the most widely physical method, pump and treat (P&T) can remove contaminants directly through flushing and collecting the contaminants from a highly risky zone [3,4].…”

Managing food and water security in Small Island States: New evidence from economic modelling of climate stressed groundwater resources

“…In conditions where more than one economic sector competes for use of available groundwater, economic instruments and policies that signal the scarcity value of water could help protect the limited groundwater resources (Bann and Wood, 2012;Compernolle et al, 2013;Gohar and Cashman, 2017).…”