“Blast”Algorithm for Zoned Uniform Treatment

Water-quality management involves determining the pollution-abatement scheme that secures a desired quality goal in the watercourse in an equitable and efficient manner. This problem has been approached by a uniform-treatment scheme, in which all discharges are treated equally. Second is cost-minimization, in which mathematical optimization is used to find a treatment combination which meets quality requirements at minimum cost. Although less expensive than other schemes, it is resisted because of inequities among individual discharges. An intermediate or compromise solution, termed zoned uniforms is proposed. This solution divides waste discharges into geographical or categorical. Total cost is then minimized as long as treatment level is maintained in each zone. An enumeration scheme solution is presented, using computations based on Delaware Estuary Data.