Economic feasibility of complementary treatments for reducing pharmaceuticals in metropolitan drinking water in southern Brazil.

Abstract

This study addresses complementary treatment systems' economic feasibility and environmental benefits to reduce pharmaceutical micropollutants in urban water supplies in Curitiba, Brazil. The research evaluated powdered activated carbon (PAC) dosing systems in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), analyzing implementation and operational costs in relation to the environmental benefits represented by the shadow price of removed pharmaceutical micropollutants. The results indicate that while technically viable, the high cost of PAC systems renders the project economically unfeasible, with a removal cost of US$1.3941 per mg/L of micropollutant, far exceeding the estimated environmental benefit of US$0.4134 per mg/L. Over a 30-year horizon, the cost per m³ of treated water with PAC accounts for approximately 78.52% of the cost of a conventional DWTP, emphasizing the need for alternative funding models. The study highlights the critical importance of integrating environmental benefits into economic analyses and proposes an industry-financed fund by pharmaceutical companies to support the modernization of these systems, aligning with principles of social and environmental justice.