WRA Unveils New Reverse Osmosis Desalination Cost Planning Model Source: WRA Florida Water Resource Report, February 2002 Water Resource Associates has recently completed development of the Reverse Osmosis Desalination Cost Planning Model, Version 2.0 (Model). The Model is designed with the objective of providing a water supply planner the ability to expeditiously analyze a large range of desalination project options to determine major project component costs and "best case" project configurations based on capital, operation and maintenance (O&M), and life cycle costs. A variation of the model was initially developed by WRA for a South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) feasibility study titled, "Co-Locating Reverse Osmosis Treatment Facilities with Electric Power Plants". The model developed for SFWMD was used to evaluate the capital, O&M and life cycle costs for a number of power plant co-located desalination facility sites within the SFWMD. The recently completed Version 2.0 incorporates several modifications from Version 1.0. Version 2.0 has greatly increased the Model's flexibility by adding an advanced input window that will allow the user to modify and customize a number of the default parameters used throughout the Model's cost formulas and algorithms. With the addition of the advanced input package, experienced individuals have the ability to customize 90% of all cost calculations, creating an entirely new model while using the WRA model as a template. To ensure unlimited flexibility, WRA has upgraded the Model so that a user has the ability to choose from an extensive list of both S.I. and English units when entering input data and viewing output data. The Model also features a graphical output window that breaks down capital, O&M and life cycle cost outputs into a series of five different presentation quality bar graphs and pie charts. All graphs are updated simultaneously as the Model's input values are modified. The graphs are ideal for visualizing the relative economic impact of each separate component affecting the cost of the desalination facility as a whole. Incorporated into the user interface are dropdown menus for input selections, hyperlink buttons for more efficient navigation between the model windows, and error messages that let the user know when an invalid input value has been entered. Using the model is highly intuitive and requires little more than adjusting input values on the input forms and viewing the output costs and graphs as they change simultaneously. The formulas and algorithms used to calculate capital, O&M and life cycle costs within the Model were developed through extensive collaboration with industry experts in the fields of membrane technology, plant design, plant operation, site development and desalination economics. The model has been calibrated using a number of existing facilities and shows excellent correlation to capital, O&M and life cycle costs from existing projects. For more information about the Reverse Osmosis Desalination Cost Model, contact us through e-mail at info@wraconsultants.com, or by phone at (813) 265-3130. Home | About WRA | Projects | Newsletter | Links | Contact Us Environmental Services | Water Policy and Planning | Site Development Desalination Services | Conflict Resolution