Argumentation-based framework for industrial wastewater discharges management

The daily operation of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in unitary sewer systems of industrialized areas is of special concern. Severe problems can occur due to the characteristics of incoming flow. In order to avoid decision that leads to hazardous situations, guidelines and regulations exist. However, there are still no golden standards by which to a priori decide whether a WWTP can cope with critical discharges. Strict adherence to regulations may not always be convenient, since special circumstances may motivate operators to accept discharges that are above established thresholds or to reject discharges that comply with guidelines. Nonetheless, such decisions must be well justified. This paper proposes an argumentation-based model by which to formulate a flexible decision-making process. An example of the model application describes how experts deliberate the safety of a discharge and adapt each decision to the particular characteristics of the industrial discharge and the WWTP.