MCDA-based Assessment of Industrial Practices for Groundwater Preservation and Pollution Reduction

In this study, the effects of industrial practices on groundwater sustainability and contamination in Grombalia watershed were assessed using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The analysis was carried out on three types of industrial wastewater using mainly electrochemical techniques. Criteria used are: wastewater discharge area, soil permeability, wastewater quality, removal efficiency, groundwater supplies, non-conventional water production, and groundwater quality and quantity. Both Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Weighted Sum Method (WSM) are combined in MCDA, to identify the best industrial wastewater treatment technology among several alternatives. Main results indicate that the sustainability of the newly developed remediation technologies showed the highest performance when compared to the on-site alternatives. The impressive decision index values, of the best practices to be adopted in each industry, were of 0.965, 0.875, and 0.763 compared to a decision index value related to the actual on-site practices of 0.263, 0. 425 and 0.305 for the textile, agrifood, and leather industries, respectively. The results underlined the importance of developing a remediation solution for highly contaminated wastewaters and reuse and/or recycling schemes, to guarantee water demand requirements and reduce pressure on conventional water sources, within a circular economy approach.