Evaluation of the economic efficiency of the membrane method for drinking water preparation

Abstract

Membrane methods - reverse osmosis and nanofiltration - are attracting more and more attention in the context of providing the population with high-quality drinking water. Kazakhstan attaches high priority to this issue, realizing the growing scarcity of water resources.The purpose of the study is to analyze the economic efficiency of the use of the membrane method for the preparation of drinking water.Methodology. To achieve this goal, a methodology was used based on the evaluation of proposed technological solutions using net present value (NPV), yield index (IR) and internal rate of return (IRR).Originality / value of the research. The study focuses on the economic efficiency of the membrane method of drinking water treatment. Currently, providing the population with high-quality drinking water is one of the main priorities of many countries, including Kazakhstan, due to the growing shortage of water resources. This study proposes a methodology for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of membrane methods such as reverse osmosis and nanofiltration using indicators such as NPV, ID and GNI. This allows you to make informed decisions about the selection of the most profitable innovative projects in the field of drinking water treatment. The study is of significant value because it provides practical recommendations and guidance for decision-making in the field of drinking water treatment, contributing to the provision of high-quality drinking water to the population and optimization of economic costs in Kazakhstan.Findings. The paper considers a set of issues related to the economic assessment and selection of innovative projects for the preparation of drinking water by reverse osmosis and nanofiltration by calculating the net present value (NPV), the return index (IR) and the internal rate of return (IRR). The study calculated the return on investment using nanofiltration for stations with a capacity of 300.6 thousand m3/year. The authors found that, taking into account discounting, the payback period for projects according to the proposed method is 5 years.