摘要：The traditional approach to urban water management is primarily based on a supply-oriented approach, where water follows a one-way path from supply to a single use, treatment and then discharged to the environment. The wide acknowledgement of the need to shift towards more sustainable practices has led to the recognition that demand is multi-faceted; delivered supply should correspond to the varying characteristics of users, taking into account their actual needs in terms of quantity, quality and level of reliability. Such an approach can entail the application of reuse and reclamation methods, which allow for the multiple use of water to meet higher to lower quality needs. Integrated urban water cycle modelling can be a powerful tool in estimating the potential for the application of such options, as it considers issues related to water supply, wastewater production and stormwater runoff in a holistic framework. This paper presents preliminary results from the application of an integrated urban water balance model, Aquacycle, in the Greater Athens Area. The Aquacycle model accounts for water pathways by simulating two subsystems of the urban water cycle (the rainfall-run-off network and the water supplywastewater network), and the interactions between them. The software package can also be used for evaluating alternative stormwater and wastewater reuse schemes. In this paper, Aquacycle was used for simulating water use, wastewater production and stormwater drainage in the Greater Athens Area. For applying the model, the region was divided into smaller – cluster – scales, according to specific structural characteristics. Then, the model was calibrated and validated against measured data, so that model outputs can account for the overall complexity of the Athens urban environment. Finally, three alternative scenarios, comprising the application of on-site recycling and reuse technologies were simulated and evaluated on the basis of three sustainability indicators (i.e. reduction of imported freshwater, wastewater and stormwater discharge).
关键词：Urban water management; integrated modelling; Aquacycle software; Greater Athens area
