Assessment and Comprehensive Evaluation of Large-Scale Reclaimed Water Reuse for Urban River Restoration and Water Resource Management: A Case Study in China

Abstract

Replenishing reclaimed water into urban rivers, which suffer from reduced flow and deteriorating water quality due to anthropogenic activities, presents an opportunity for water resource management and ecological restoration, while the effect and evaluation need to be considered. This study investigated the feasibility of large-scale reclaimed water reuse in urban rivers, focusing on water quality improvements and reuse scheme evaluation, utilizing modeling software to simulate the water quality after implementing the reclaimed water replenishment scheme. After seven days of reclaimed water replenishment simulated, the water quality in the receiving urban rivers exhibited substantial improvements to different extents, with some rivers showing a decrease of over 90% in chemical oxygen demand (CODMn), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations. A comprehensive evaluation method using the physical element extension–analytic hierarchy process (AHP) evaluation model was developed to evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of the large-scale project of reclaimed water reuse in urban rivers. The overall score of the large-scale reclaimed water reuse scenario reaches 89, approaching Level I and indicating a highly scientific and reasonable plan. This study contributes to the field of urban river restoration and water resource management by demonstrating the potential for improving water quality in urban rivers through large-scale reclaimed water reuse. The innovative comprehensive evaluation method offers valuable insights for guiding the implementation of similar projects in other urban river systems, addressing water resource challenges, and promoting ecological restoration in urban areas.