Abteilung Umweltsozialwissenschaften

Entscheidungsfindung beim Übergang von zentralen zu alternativen Systemen in der Abwasserentsorgung

Netzgebundene Systeme in der Siedlungswasserwirtschaft altern und ihr Ersatzzeitpunkt rückt näher. Die Frage ist, wie geht es danach weiter: Erneuerung oder Einsatz alternativer Technologien? Nachteile wie bspw. geringe Flexibilität durch lange Planungshorizonte und hohe (Investitions-)Kosten wirken sich v. a. unter dynamischen Randbedingungen und in ländlichen, dünn besiedelten Regionen aus. Demgegenüber haben neue, insbesondere dezentrale Systeme in den letzten Jahren wachsende Aufmerksamkeit erhalten, unter anderem weil ihr Einsatz höhere Flexibilität verspricht.
In Ländern wie der Schweiz existieren bereits flächendeckend zentrale Systeme. Zu klären bleibt, ob dezentrale Systeme unter gewissen Bedingungen tatsächlich vorteilhaft sein könnten – und falls ja, welche Entscheidungen wann und wie getroffen werden müssen, damit ein Umbau und Übergang (engl.: transition) hin zu dezentralen Systemen und den damit verbundenen Vorteilen gelingen kann. Unklar ist gegenwärtig auch, wie lokale und kantonale Akteure in den langfristigen Entscheidungsprozess einbezogen werden können.
Im Rahmen des Projekts werden alternative Abwassersysteme identifiziert, die mit weniger Netzinfrastruktur auskommen. Vor dem Hintergrund zukünftiger Unsicherheiten (z. B. Klimawandel, Bevölkerungsmigration, Technologieentwicklung) sowie der Erwartungen von Akteuren an das zentrale, aber auch an alternative Systeme werden Vor- und Nachteile der alternativen Systeme untersucht. Im Projektverlauf wird mindestens eine ländliche Gemeinde im Kanton Solothurn als Fallstudie konkret begleitet.
Das Projekt ist ein gemeinsames Vorhaben der Eawag-Abteilungen Umweltsozialwissenschaften (ESS) sowie Siedlungswasserwirtschaft (SWW) und läuft in enger Zusammenarbeit mit dem Amt für Umwelt des Kantons Solothurn (AfU SO). Es ist eingebettet im strategischen Programm Wings („Water and sanitation innovations for non-grid solutions“) der Eawag.

Team

PD Dr. Judit Lienert Gruppenleiterin, Gruppe: DA Tel. +41 58 765 5574 Inviare e-mail

    Philipp Beutler

    Leiter Forschung & Entwicklung, Hunziker Betatech

Publikationen

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      originalId => protected33194 (integer)
      authors => protected'Beutler, P.; Larsen, T. A.; Maurer, M.; Staufer, P.
         ; Lienert, J.
' (94 chars) title => protected'A participatory multi-criteria decision analysis framework reveals transitio
         n potential towards non-grid wastewater management
' (126 chars) journal => protected'Journal of Environmental Management' (35 chars) year => protected2024 (integer) volume => protected367 (integer) issue => protected'' (0 chars) startpage => protected'121962 (15 pp.)' (15 chars) otherpage => protected'' (0 chars) categories => protected'decentralized wastewater infrastructure; mcda; participatory decision analys
         is; stakeholder preferences; uncertainty; wicked problems
' (133 chars) description => protected'Many public environmental decisions are wicked problems due to high complexi
         ty and uncertainty. We test a participatory value-based framework based on m
         ulti-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to tackle such problems. Our framewor
         k addresses two important gaps identified in reviews of MCDA applications to
          environmental problems: including stakeholders and treating uncertainty. We
          applied our framework in two complex real-world cases concerning a paradigm
          shift in the wastewater sector; the transition from centralized wastewater
         systems to decentralized non-grid systems. Non-grid systems may solve some p
         roblems of centralized systems by reducing costs, increasing flexibility, an
         d addressing growing demands on environmental issues, especially in rural ar
         eas. But non-grid systems have rarely been implemented in OECD countries, be
         cause it is unclear whether a transition is recommendable, and whether stake
         holders would accept this shift. This problem allows addressing several fund
         amental research questions. As theoretical contribution, we found that stake
         holder participation in MCDA is necessary, because different preferences of
         stakeholders can lead to different best-performing options in the assessment
         s. Compared to the typical integrated assessment (IA) approach that excludes
          stakeholders' preferences, the MCDA process led to clearer outcomes. Result
         s indicate that including the uncertainty of predicted consequences of optio
         ns with Monte Carlo simulation helped discriminate between options and ident
         ify best-performing options. Challenging the uncertainty of elicited stakeho
         lder preferences with sensitivity analyses, we found that best-performing op
         tions were especially sensitive to the MCDA aggregation model. Despite the h
         igh uncertainty, it was possible to suggest robust consensus options that wo
         uld perform reasonably well for all stakeholders. As practical contribution,
          results indicated that a transition from the centralized to decentralized n
         on-grid systems seems fe...
' (2629 chars) serialnumber => protected'0301-4797' (9 chars) doi => protected'10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121962' (29 chars) uid => protected33194 (integer) _localizedUid => protected33194 (integer)modified _languageUid => protectedNULL _versionedUid => protected33194 (integer)modified pid => protected124 (integer)
1 => Snowflake\Publications\Domain\Model\Publicationprototypepersistent entity (uid=25775, pid=124) originalId => protected25775 (integer) authors => protected'Aubert, A. H.; Schmid, S.; Beutler, P.; Lienert, J.' (76 chars) title => protected'Innovative online survey about sustainable wastewater management: what young
          Swiss citizens know and value
' (106 chars) journal => protected'Environmental Science and Policy' (32 chars) year => protected2022 (integer) volume => protected137 (integer) issue => protected'' (0 chars) startpage => protected'323' (3 chars) otherpage => protected'335' (3 chars) categories => protected'environmental decision; citizen participation; Multi-Criteria Decision Analy
         sis (MCDA); policy analytics; learning; preference construction
' (139 chars) description => protected'Investigating wastewater management matters: in many OECD countries, the con
         ventional centralized system is reaching its limits. Alternative decentraliz
         ed options exist. Some directly affect citizens with in-house wastewater tre
         atment. Involving citizens in decision processes would legitimate the outcom
         e and facilitate implementation. However, citizen participation is challengi
         ng because they are numerous, and need to learn about the topic and construc
         t their opinion. To include citizens, we propose an innovative online survey
          based on Multi-Attribute Value Theory (MAVT). Citizens receive value-focuse
         d information, and can communicate their preferences, captured as weights as
         signed to objectives. We collected quantitative and qualitative data, and el
         icited preferences from 184 young Swiss citizens, who will have to live with
          the decision outcome. In addition to reporting on insights for wastewater m
         anagement, we assessed our survey, i.e. whether respondents learnt about the
          topic, constructed preferences, and understood the requirement to think in
         terms of objectives. Water quality and health protection mattered the most.
         The objectives directly concerning the respondents (time demand, attractiven
         ess) were the least important. The best-ranked option in the subsequent Mult
         i-Criteria Decision Analysis was a decentralized source separating system wi
         th dry toilets. Respondents were unaware that such decentralized options exi
         st, indicating that learning about the topic occurred. Preferences were most
         ly newly constructed from no opinion, or pre-existing ones were reinforced.
         Our value-focused online survey helped citizens to understand the complex de
         cision and construct their preferences. Swiss decision-makers, and beyond, s
         hould not be scared of a paradigm shift in wastewater management: the young
         generation seems ready to decentralize.
' (1863 chars) serialnumber => protected'1462-9011' (9 chars) doi => protected'10.1016/j.envsci.2022.08.018' (28 chars) uid => protected25775 (integer) _localizedUid => protected25775 (integer)modified _languageUid => protectedNULL _versionedUid => protected25775 (integer)modified pid => protected124 (integer)
2 => Snowflake\Publications\Domain\Model\Publicationprototypepersistent entity (uid=30231, pid=124) originalId => protected30231 (integer) authors => protected'Kuller, M.; Beutler, P.; Lienert, J.' (51 chars) title => protected'Preference change in stakeholder group-decision processes in the public sect
         or: extent, causes and implications
' (111 chars) journal => protected'European Journal of Operational Research' (40 chars) year => protected2023 (integer) volume => protected308 (integer) issue => protected'' (0 chars) startpage => protected'1268' (4 chars) otherpage => protected'1285' (4 chars) categories => protected'behavioural operational research (OR); preference change; multi-criteria dec
         ision analysis; group decision-making; public policy
' (128 chars) description => protected'Public decisions are typically related to large investments leaving long leg
         acies. We should therefore strive for wide societal agreement regarding such
          decisions, which meet the diversity of preferences between stakeholders and
          over time. But if, how and why do stakeholder preferences change over time?
          In decision analysis, these questions received little attention. We explore
         d them using three real-world public decision processes, based on Multi-Crit
         eria Decision Analysis (MCDA). We used repeatedly elicited ranking of object
         ives over time. These were obtained during three to five moderated workshops
          we organised several months apart (total N = 200 questionnaires, and 100 st
         akeholders). We analysed individual and aggregated (group) preferences, thei
         r changes and potential drivers including demographic and experience variabl
         es. We also analysed the effect of preference evolution on the performance o
         f decision-alternatives with MCDA over time. We found that stakeholder prefe
         rences often changed over time, both on an individual and group level. These
          changes did not systematically diminish over time, but some convergence of
         preferences was observed for stakeholders who repeatedly participated in wor
         kshops. High-ranking objectives were relatively stable and similar between s
         takeholders. While preference changes could not be explained by demographics
          and personal experiences, repeated interaction with the decision problem mi
         ght play a role. Neither the observed disagreement between stakeholders, nor
          the preference changes over time affected the best and worst performing alt
         ernatives in our decision problems. Thus, despite changing stakeholder prefe
         rences over time, public decision-makers can contrive robust solutions to co
         mplex public decision problems in the present.
' (1794 chars) serialnumber => protected'0377-2217' (9 chars) doi => protected'10.1016/j.ejor.2022.12.001' (26 chars) uid => protected30231 (integer) _localizedUid => protected30231 (integer)modified _languageUid => protectedNULL _versionedUid => protected30231 (integer)modified pid => protected124 (integer)
3 => Snowflake\Publications\Domain\Model\Publicationprototypepersistent entity (uid=21892, pid=124) originalId => protected21892 (integer) authors => protected'Beutler, P.; Larsen, T. A.; Maurer, M.; Staufer, P.
         ; Lienert, J.
' (94 chars) title => protected'Potenzial dezentraler Abwassersysteme' (37 chars) journal => protected'Aqua & Gas' (10 chars) year => protected2021 (integer) volume => protected101 (integer) issue => protected'1' (1 chars) startpage => protected'66' (2 chars) otherpage => protected'75' (2 chars) categories => protected'' (0 chars) description => protected'Werterhalt und Bewirtschaftung von Kanalisation und ARA können kleine Gemei
         nden vor Herausforderungen stellen. Es gibt Alternativen, aber lohnen sich d
         iese? Zwei Gemeinden wurden bei der strategischen Planung für ihr neues Abw
         assersystem unterstützt. Viele Ziele wurden als entscheidungsrelevant ident
         ifiziert, insbesondere Umweltschutzziele. Es zeigte sich, dass dezentrale Te
         chnologien mit Stoffstromseparierung die Anforderungen häufig besser erfül
         len können als konventionelle Abwassersysteme.
' (503 chars) serialnumber => protected'2235-5197' (9 chars) doi => protected'' (0 chars) uid => protected21892 (integer) _localizedUid => protected21892 (integer)modified _languageUid => protectedNULL _versionedUid => protected21892 (integer)modified pid => protected124 (integer)
4 => Snowflake\Publications\Domain\Model\Publicationprototypepersistent entity (uid=21730, pid=124) originalId => protected21730 (integer) authors => protected'Beutler,&nbsp;P.; Lienert,&nbsp;J.' (34 chars) title => protected'Zukünftige Abwasserentsorgung im ländlichen Raum - <em>Synthese zur Entsch
         eidungsunterstützung in den Fallstudien im Solothurner Jura</em>. <em>Absch
         lussbericht</em>
' (168 chars) journal => protected'' (0 chars) year => protected2020 (integer) volume => protected0 (integer) issue => protected'' (0 chars) startpage => protected'65&nbsp;p' (9 chars) otherpage => protected'' (0 chars) categories => protected'' (0 chars) description => protected'' (0 chars) serialnumber => protected'' (0 chars) doi => protected'' (0 chars) uid => protected21730 (integer) _localizedUid => protected21730 (integer)modified _languageUid => protectedNULL _versionedUid => protected21730 (integer)modified pid => protected124 (integer)
5 => Snowflake\Publications\Domain\Model\Publicationprototypepersistent entity (uid=19949, pid=124) originalId => protected19949 (integer) authors => protected'Beutler,&nbsp;P.; Lienert,&nbsp;J.' (34 chars) title => protected'Zukünftige Abwasserentsorgung im ländlichen Raum - Fallstudie 2. Abschluss
         bericht für die Gemeinde
' (101 chars) journal => protected'' (0 chars) year => protected2020 (integer) volume => protected0 (integer) issue => protected'' (0 chars) startpage => protected'145&nbsp;p' (10 chars) otherpage => protected'' (0 chars) categories => protected'' (0 chars) description => protected'Wie kann die Abwasserentsorgung in einer ländlichen Gemeinde in der Schweiz
          in Zukunft gewährleistet werden? Welche Bedürfnisse der lokalen Nutzer/-i
         nnen muss ein modernes Abwassersystem erfüllen? Das Wasserforschungsinstitu
         t Eawag und das Amt für Umwelt Solothurn (AfU) sind diesen Fragen gemeinsam
          nachgegangen und zeigen die Ergebnisse in der vorliegenden Studie auf.<br /
         > In der Schweiz ist die überwiegende Mehrheit aller Einwohner/-innen an ei
         n zentrales, netzgebundenes Abwassersystem angeschlossen. Auch im Kanton Sol
         othurn besitzen alle ländlichen Gemeinden ein solches System aus Kanalisati
         on und Abwasserreinigungsanlage (ARA). Diese Systeme wurden ursprünglich mi
         t Subventionen vom Kanton und vom Bund realisiert. Langfristig müssen diese
          nach dem Verursacherprinzip durch Gebühren finanziert werden.<br /><br />
         How to ensure future wastewater disposal in rural communities in Switzerland
         ? What needs of local stakeholders should a modern wastewater system meet? E
         awag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, and the
          Office for the Environment Solothurn (AfU) have jointly investigated these
         questions and present the results in this study.<br /> In Switzerland, the v
         ast majority of inhabitants are connected to a centralized, grid-based sewer
          system. In the canton of Solothurn, all rural municipalities make use of su
         ch a system consisting of a sewer network and a wastewater treatment plant (
         WWTP). From the 1960s to the early 1990s, communities initially implemented
         these systems with subsidies from the cantonal and the federal government. T
         o finance these systems in the long term, legal regulations prescribe fees t
         o be charged according to the polluter-pays-principle.
' (1726 chars) serialnumber => protected'' (0 chars) doi => protected'' (0 chars) uid => protected19949 (integer) _localizedUid => protected19949 (integer)modified _languageUid => protectedNULL _versionedUid => protected19949 (integer)modified pid => protected124 (integer)
6 => Snowflake\Publications\Domain\Model\Publicationprototypepersistent entity (uid=19287, pid=124) originalId => protected19287 (integer) authors => protected'Beutler,&nbsp;P.; Lienert,&nbsp;J.' (34 chars) title => protected'Zukünftige Abwasserentsorgung im ländlichen Raum - Fallstudie 1. <em>Techn
         ischer Bericht zur Entscheidungsunterstützung für die Gemeinde</em>
' (145 chars) journal => protected'' (0 chars) year => protected2020 (integer) volume => protected0 (integer) issue => protected'' (0 chars) startpage => protected'247&nbsp;p' (10 chars) otherpage => protected'' (0 chars) categories => protected'' (0 chars) description => protected'' (0 chars) serialnumber => protected'' (0 chars) doi => protected'' (0 chars) uid => protected19287 (integer) _localizedUid => protected19287 (integer)modified _languageUid => protectedNULL _versionedUid => protected19287 (integer)modified pid => protected124 (integer)
7 => Snowflake\Publications\Domain\Model\Publicationprototypepersistent entity (uid=19289, pid=124) originalId => protected19289 (integer) authors => protected'Beutler,&nbsp;P.; Lienert,&nbsp;J.' (34 chars) title => protected'Zukünftige Abwasserentsorgung im ländlichen Raum - Fallstudie 1. <em>Absc
         hlussbericht für die Gemeinde</em>
' (111 chars) journal => protected'' (0 chars) year => protected2020 (integer) volume => protected0 (integer) issue => protected'' (0 chars) startpage => protected'28&nbsp;p' (9 chars) otherpage => protected'' (0 chars) categories => protected'' (0 chars) description => protected'' (0 chars) serialnumber => protected'' (0 chars) doi => protected'' (0 chars) uid => protected19289 (integer) _localizedUid => protected19289 (integer)modified _languageUid => protectedNULL _versionedUid => protected19289 (integer)modified pid => protected124 (integer)
Beutler, P.; Larsen, T. A.; Maurer, M.; Staufer, P.; Lienert, J. (2024) A participatory multi-criteria decision analysis framework reveals transition potential towards non-grid wastewater management, Journal of Environmental Management, 367, 121962 (15 pp.), doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121962, Institutional Repository
Aubert, A. H.; Schmid, S.; Beutler, P.; Lienert, J. (2022) Innovative online survey about sustainable wastewater management: what young Swiss citizens know and value, Environmental Science and Policy, 137, 323-335, doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2022.08.018, Institutional Repository
Kuller, M.; Beutler, P.; Lienert, J. (2023) Preference change in stakeholder group-decision processes in the public sector: extent, causes and implications, European Journal of Operational Research, 308, 1268-1285, doi:10.1016/j.ejor.2022.12.001, Institutional Repository
Beutler, P.; Larsen, T. A.; Maurer, M.; Staufer, P.; Lienert, J. (2021) Potenzial dezentraler Abwassersysteme, Aqua & Gas, 101(1), 66-75, Institutional Repository
Beutler, P.; Lienert, J. (2020) Zukünftige Abwasserentsorgung im ländlichen Raum - Synthese zur Entscheidungsunterstützung in den Fallstudien im Solothurner Jura. Abschlussbericht, 65 p, Institutional Repository
Beutler, P.; Lienert, J. (2020) Zukünftige Abwasserentsorgung im ländlichen Raum - Fallstudie 2. Abschlussbericht für die Gemeinde, 145 p, Institutional Repository
Beutler, P.; Lienert, J. (2020) Zukünftige Abwasserentsorgung im ländlichen Raum - Fallstudie 1. Technischer Bericht zur Entscheidungsunterstützung für die Gemeinde, 247 p, Institutional Repository
Beutler, P.; Lienert, J. (2020) Zukünftige Abwasserentsorgung im ländlichen Raum - Fallstudie 1. Abschlussbericht für die Gemeinde, 28 p, Institutional Repository

Poster

"Schwierige Entscheidungen im Milizsystem" (Poster Methode MCDA; Mai 2020)

"Zukünftige Abwassersysteme im ländlichen Raum" (Poster Fallstudienergebnisse; Mai 2020)

Videobilder

"Potenziale dezentraler Abwassersysteme" (Webinar VSA, Vimeo, Youtube; Juni 2020)

Kontakt

PD Dr. Judit Lienert Gruppenleiterin, Gruppe: DA Tel. +41 58 765 5574 Inviare e-mail

Projektinformation

Laufzeit: 05/2016 bis 02/2020

Poster

Schwierige Entscheidungen im Milizsystem

 

Zukünftige Abwassersysteme im ländlichen Raum