OPTIMAL GROUNDWATER POLLUTION PLUME CONTAINMENT WITH FIXED CHARGES

Six ground-water management models were developed and compared to iden tify the best management alternative for the containment of a ground-w ater pollution plume in a hypothetical aquifer that is used for freshw ater supply The proposed models are formulated as quadratic programmin g, linear programming, and mixed-integer programming models. Managemen t models are grouped into two on the basis of treatment cost considera tion. The optimal solutions of the models are compared and evaluated o n the basis of total costs associated with the remediation system desi gn. Sensitivity of the model solutions to variations in unit pumping a nd treatment costs are analyzed. The results of the models are quite d ifferent in regard to the number of potential interception wells compl eted, their pumping rates, resulting operation, and capital investment costs. Results show that considerable amounts of savings may be achie ved through application of the mixed-integer programming models explic itly considering each of the cost components. Therefore, in remediatio n system designs that require installation of interception wells, grou nd-water managers should take into account the fixed charges incurred for each well that is introduced in the mathematical model.