WEDC Technical Brief No. 49: Choosing an appropriate technology

The initial selection of an appropriate technology from a range of possibilities is the key to the successful operation of any facility - technologies are unlikely to function adequately if inappropriate choices are made at the outset. Although this is understood by many, people often underestimate how difficult the choice can be.

This Technical Brief is intended as a guide to selecting the most appropriate options, taking as its example the selection of water treatment facilities. It should not be seen as a guide for the design of individual treatment processes.

The process contained in this brief can be applied to the selection of single treatment facilities, or as a guide to the development of a strategy for a whole area. The process can be used by both people with direct responsibility for making the decisions, and also by other parties to ensure that the right issues are addressed by the decision-makers.

The method described below can be applied to any decision-making process - for example, to identify the technologies for a development project, such as a water supply, sanitation, or refuse-collection scheme.