本文来自美国水务协会研究基金会项目，题为“平衡多个水质目标:一个技术和管理的方法。”该项目认识到，从专注于特定水质问题的研究中获得了许多基本和实际的理解。然而，这些单独的研究并没有解决同时优化以满足多个水质目标的问题。这项研究解决了相互依赖的水质目标和处理过程优化问题。本研究的目标有两个:确定一种方法，用于预测和逻辑解决多个相互依赖且往往相互冲突的水质目标；并为比较治疗方案制定决策框架。

This paper emerges from an American Water Works Association Research Foundation project entitled "Balancing Multiple Water Quality Objectives: A Technical and Managerial Approach." The project recognizes that much fundamental and practical understanding has been gained from studies focused on specific water quality issues. These individual studies, however, have not addressed the problems of simultaneous optimization to meet multiple water quality objectives. This study addresses the issue of interdependent water quality objectives and treatment process optimization. The objectives of this study are twofold: Identify a method for anticipating and logically resolving multiple, interdependent, and often times conflicting water quality objectives; and Develop a decision making framework for comparing treatment alternatives.