An Optimal Control Framework to Address the Relationship between Water Resource Management and Water-Borne Health Impacts: Focus on the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley

The objective of this study is develop a theoretical model that can evaluate two types of public health expenditures on water-borne health risks: water-related municipal services, an ex ante preventative measure against water-borne contamination, and medical treatment, an ex post treatment of the water-borne pollutant’s harmful effects on human health. The modeled community can allocate resources in either centralized-municipal water-services, point-of-use water-services, or medical intervention, with expenditures subject to a budget constraint. The movement of a water-borne illness through the community is modeled with a susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) disease framework. An optimization framework is developed, including a statement of the problem’s Hamiltonian and first-order-conditions. The first-order-conditions are discussed. Future work includes obtaining a numerical solution to the optimization problem.water, public health, rural development, dynamic optimization, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Economic Implications of Desalination in South Texas

Desalination offers an opportunity for source diversification of water for many communities, along with possible defenses against security threats potentially affecting clean water supplies. The economic costs associated with constructing and operating desalination plants in South Texas are investigated. Primary data utilized in the analysis include engineering considerations and actual costs associated with existing and plants under construction in South Texas. Specific costs considered include raw water acquisition and transport, pretreatment, and purification. Sensitivity parameters include source and quality of raw water, energy costs, size of plant, and other heuristic aspects of plant design and development. Annuity equivalent costs are reported on a per ac-ft of finished water basis, f.o.b. desalination plant

Salinity Control by the El Morillo Drain, South Texas

Potential increased sodium loads in the Rio Grande associated with drainage from Mexican farmer fields is avoided due to the El Morillo Drain, located in Mexico. Random failures of the Drain threaten the quality of source water available to Rio Grande Valley municipal water treatment plants as well for agricultural irrigation of high value crops. Economic analysis and capital budgeting methods are utilized to analyze the impacts of cities having to add reverse osmosis treatment components to conventional municipal water treatment facilities to reduce the excessive sodium loads and be in compliance with water quality standards

Effect of Agricultural Activity on River Water Quality: A Case Study for the Lower Colorado River Basin

This case study investigates the effect of a change in cropping pattern involving expanded acres of crops for biofuel feedstock, on the discharge of nutrients to rivers. Annual data from 1968-2008 on stream flow, cropped acres, and precipitation for Wharton County, Texas are used. A positive impact of increased corn acreage over this period on river discharge is identified.Biofuels, Stream Flow, Discharge, Production Economics, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Biological Control of Giant Reed (Arundo donax): Economic Aspects

Arundo donax is a large, invasive weed consuming large quantities of water in the riparian area of the Texas Rio Grande Basin. With water availability a concern to the area, the USDA-ARS is investigating biological control agents to increase available water, creating a benefit to both the region’s economy and society in general.Arundo donax, Giant Reed, Water, Economics, Invasive, Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Seawater Desalination for Municipal Water Production

This paper examines the optimal allocation of several inputs in the context of seawater desalination by reverse osmosis (RO) as a source of municipal (or commercial or industrial) water. A cost-minimization model is developed, a production function is estimated, and sensitivity analyses are conducted using the optimization model to investigate the effect of environmental conditions and economic factors on the optimal input portfolio and the cost of operating a modeled seawater desalination facility. The objectives of this paper are to better understand the effect on the seawater desalination facility’s costs and input portfolio from changes in water quality, membrane lifespan, daily operations schedule, and energy prices. Findings include that lower total facility costs are associated with warm-weather water quality parameters, longer membrane life, and mid-range daily operations schedule (14.265 hours/day). Under most conditions, an interruptible power supply regime reduces facility costs. Exceptions include when the interruptible power supply regime implies significant reductions in operating hours and the associated reduction in energy price is very small.water, production, seawater desalination, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Economic and Financial Costs of Saving Water and Energy: Preliminary Analysis for Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2 (San Juan) – Replacement of Pipeline Units I-7A, I-18, and I-22

Initial construction costs and net annual changes in operating and maintenance expenses are identified for a three-component capital renovation project proposed by Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2. The proposed project primarily consists of replacing aged mortar-joint pipe in pipeline units I-7A, I-18, and I-22 with new rubber-gasketed, reinforced concrete pipe. Both nominal and real estimates of water and energy savings and expected economic and financial costs of those savings are identified throughout the anticipated useful life for the proposed project. Sensitivity results for the cost of saving water are presented for several important parameters. Annual water and energy savings forthcoming from the total project are estimated, using amortization procedures, to be 485 ac-ft of water per year and 179,486,553 BTUs {52,604 kwh} of energy per year. The calculated economic and financial cost-of-saving water is estimated to be $385.46 per ac-ft. The calculated economic and financial cost-of-saving energy is estimated to be$0.0010735 per BTU {3.663 per kwh}. In addition, expected real (vs. nominal) values are provided for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s three principal evaluation measures specified in U.S. Public Law 106-576. The aggregate initial construction cost per ac-ft of water saved measure is 510.92. The aggregate initial construction cost per unit of energy saved measure is 0.0013798 per BTU {4.708 per kwh}. The aggregate ratio of initial construction costs per dollar of total annual economic savings is estimated to be -2.53

Economic and Conservation Evaluation of Capital Renovation Projects: United Irrigation District of Hidalgo County (United) – Rehabilitation of Main Canal, Laterals, and Diversion Pump Station – Final

Initial construction costs and net annual changes in operating and maintenance expenses are identified for a three-component capital renovation project proposed by the United Irrigation District to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). The proposed project involves: installing 4.66 miles of pipeline in the Main Canal and Lateral 7N, installing 13.46 miles of pipeline in several laterals and sub-laterals, and rehabilitating the District’s Rio Grande diversion pumping plant. Both nominal and real estimates of water and energy savings and expected economic and financial costs of those savings are identified throughout the anticipated useful lives for all three components. Sensitivity results for both the cost of saving water and the cost of saving energy are presented for several important parameters. Annual water and energy savings forthcoming from the total project are estimated, using amortization procedures, to be 1,522 ac-ft of water per year and 3,520,302,471 BTUs (1,031,742 kwh) of energy per year. The calculated economic and financial cost of saving water is estimated to be $341.51 per ac-ft. The calculated economic and financial cost of saving energy is estimated at$0.0001574 per BTU ($0.537 per kwh). In addition, real (vs. nominal) values are estimated for the USBRs three principal evaluation measures specified in the U.S. Public Law 106-576. The aggregate initial construction cost per ac-ft of water savings measure is$359.42 per ac-ft of water savings. The aggregate initial construction cost per BTU (kwh) of energy savings measure is $0.0003468 per BTU ($1.183 per kwh). The aggregate ratio of initial construction costs per dollar of total annual economic savings is estimated to be -3.551

Estimating the Required Investment to Attain Region M Water Savings Through Rehabilitation of Water-Delivery Infrastructure – 2005 Perspectives

Irrigation districts in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley use an antiquated water-delivery conveyance system; which loses substantial water from seepage, evaporation, etc. Pressures are increasing for districts to improve their operational efficiencies. Rehabilitation of the system has been estimated to save approximately 211,000 ac-ft of water annually; which can benefit agricultural, municipal, and industrial users in the region. Combining these estimated savings with prior economic and financial analyses of 17 proposed rehabilitative project components result in an extrapolated estimated required initial capital investment of $157.8 million in rehabilitative measures to attain the 211,000 ac-ft of annual savings. A caveat to the exactness of this dollar estimate is warranted, however, because this single-point estimate is built upon other estimates (e.g., water savings, initial construction costs, etc.) by irrigation district management, consulting engineers, and university scientists. Future application of on-going economic work, combined with an ‘in-process’ revised estimate of potential water savings (i.e., from the current 211,000 ac-ft), could provide an improved investment estimate in the future

Economic and Conservation Evaluation of Capital Renovation Projects: Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2 (San Juan) - Rehabilitation of Alamo Main Canal - Final

Initial construction costs and net annual changes in operating and maintenance expenses are identified for a two-component capital renovation project proposed by Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2, to the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). The proposed project primarily consists of relining the Alamo Main canal and installing a flow-management system in the Alamo Main canal. Both nominal and real estimates of water and energy savings and expected economic and financial costs of those savings are identified throughout the anticipated useful life for the proposed project. Sensitivity results for both the cost of water savings and cost of energy savings are presented for several important parameters. Annual water and energy savings forthcoming from the total project are estimated, using amortization procedures, to be 876 ac-ft of water per year and 331,389,647 BTUs (97,125 kwh) of energy per year. The calculated economic and financial cost of water savings is estimated to be $201.50 per ac-ft. The calculated economic and financial cost of energy savings is estimated to be$0.0005592 per BTU ($1.908 per kwh). In addition, expected real (vs nominal) values are indicated for the USBRs three principal evaluation measures specified in the United States Public Law 106-576 legislation. The aggregate initial construction cost per ac-ft of water savings measure is$182.98 per ac-ft of water savings. The aggregate initial construction cost per BTU (kwh) of energy savings measure is $0.0004837 per BTU ($1.650 per kwh). The aggregate ratio of initial construction costs per dollar of total annual economic savings is estimated to be -20.74