Postgraduate Diploma in Economic Assessment and Regulation of Alternative Water
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Economic Assessment and Regulation of Alternative Water. 8 modules covering Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive, cost recovery), Royal Legislative Decree 1/2001 (consolidated Water Act) and advanced Excel. Assigned tutor and enrolment open.
Postgraduate Diploma in Economic Assessment and Regulation of Alternative Water — studying from Ireland
Ireland's civil engineering sector is driven by public infrastructure investment in roads, water, housing and public transport, alongside rail projects such as Dublin's light rail and commuter rail upgrades. Transport Infrastructure Ireland sets standards for national roads, while Irish Rail and Iarnród Éireann operate and develop the rail network. Smart city initiatives in Dublin and other urban areas create demand for engineers working on sensors, data platforms and integrated mobility systems. Typical employers include contractors, consultancies, local authorities and public agencies, with Engineers Ireland providing professional recognition.
Fees for Ireland: €1,090 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Is a SEIUM qualification recognised for chartered civil or rail engineering status in Ireland?
Chartered engineer status in Ireland is administered by Engineers Ireland, which sets its own criteria for membership and registration. Rail is regulated in part by the National Transport Authority and Irish Rail-related bodies, while building and infrastructure standards involve other authorities. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so recognition is for those bodies and employers to decide.
Do Irish civil, rail and smart-city employers consider private online engineering study?
Irish infrastructure, consultancy and local authority employers usually weigh chartered status, project experience and relevant degrees heavily. A private online qualification may be considered as supporting evidence of skills, but its value is at each employer's discretion. We cannot promise any outcome, so discuss it with prospective employers.
Can I study alongside a site or office job, and is employer funding common?
The programme is online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Plan for 1,900 hours on a master's, 800 on a postgraduate diploma or 300 on a specialist course. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Many Irish employers have continuing professional development budgets, so ask yours.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Apply the principles of water economics to the analysis of non-conventional resources.
Assess the financial viability of regeneration and desalination projects.
Carry out cost-benefit and multi-criteria analysis of supply alternatives.
Interpret the European and Spanish regulatory framework for alternative water.
Design tariff structures that comply with the cost recovery principle.
Compare financing and public procurement models for water infrastructure.
Prepare an economic assessment report for an alternative water project.
Who it's for
- Water economist looking to specialise in Economic Assessment and Regulation of Alternative Water.
- Water services regulation analyst looking to specialise in Economic Assessment and Regulation of Alternative Water.
- Hydraulic infrastructure financing consultant looking to specialise in Economic Assessment and Regulation of Alternative Water.
- Hydrological planning technician looking to specialise in Economic Assessment and Regulation of Alternative Water.
- Water tariff manager looking to specialise in Economic Assessment and Regulation of Alternative Water.
- Alternative water project analyst looking to specialise in Economic Assessment and Regulation of Alternative Water.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to join river basin authorities.
What you'll work with
- Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive, cost recovery)
- Royal Legislative Decree 1/2001 (consolidated Water Act)
- Regulation (EU) 2020/741 (water reuse)
- Royal Decree 907/2007 (Hydrological Planning Regulation)
- Law 9/2017 on Public Sector Contracts
- Regulation (EU) 2020/852 (taxonomy of sustainable activities)
- ISO 24510 (water services: assessment of service to users)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Economic value of water and scarcity1.2Total cost: investment, operation and replacement1.3Environmental externalities and resource cost1.4Demand elasticity1.5Cost recovery in the Water Framework Directive1.6Unit cost per cubic metre1.7Transfers, desalination, reuse and savings compared1.8Supply cost curves1.9Value of water reliability and security1.10Practice: marginal supply curve of a river basin
2.1Cash flows and evaluation horizon2.2NPV, IRR and payback period2.3Discount rate and cost of capital2.4Levelised cost of water (LCOW)2.5Sensitivity to energy prices2.6Monte Carlo simulation2.7Residual value and equipment replacement2.8Scenario analysis2.9Financial models in spreadsheets2.10Workshop: LCOW of a desalination plant and a regeneration plant
3.1Social cost-benefit analysis3.2Contingent valuation and hedonic pricing3.3Benefits of ecosystem services3.4Cost-effectiveness analysis of measures3.5Multi-criteria analysis with AHP3.6Carbon and water footprints3.7Life cycle assessment according to ISO 140403.8European Commission guide to cost-benefit analysis of projects3.9Distribution of benefits and equity3.10Case study: cost-benefit analysis of an agricultural reuse plan
4.1Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC4.2Directive (EU) 2020/2184 on drinking water4.3Regulation (EU) 2020/741 on reuse4.4Directive (EU) 2024/3019 on urban wastewater4.5Consolidated text of the Water Act4.6Royal Decree 1085/2024 on reuse4.7Concessions and administrative authorisations4.8River basin hydrological plans4.9State, regional and local competences4.10Practice: regulatory map of a desalination project
5.1Tariff structure: fixed and variable charges5.2Increasing block tariffs5.3Price of reclaimed water compared with potable water5.4Levies and regulatory fees5.5Cross-subsidies and affordability5.6Social tariff and water poverty5.7Price signals to encourage reuse5.8Economic regulation of operators5.9International tariff comparison5.10Workshop: designing a reclaimed water tariff
6.1Public financing and European funds6.2Public-private partnerships and concessions6.3DBO and BOT contracts6.4Allocation of contractual risks6.5Green bonds and climate finance6.6Multilateral development banks6.7Long-term water purchase agreements6.8Law 9/2017 on Public Sector Contracts6.9Bankability and technical due diligence6.10Case study: financial structure of a desalination plant
7.1Responsibilities of the producer and the user7.2Health control of alternative water7.3River basin authority and discharge control7.4Transparency and public participation7.5Social acceptance of reuse7.6Regulatory performance indicators7.7Water markets and exchange centres7.8Resolution of conflicts between users7.9Experiences in Australia, Israel and California7.10Practice: analysis of an allocation conflict
8.1Definition of supply alternatives8.2Estimation of investment and operating costs8.3Calculation of the levelised cost of water8.4Social cost-benefit analysis8.5Risk and uncertainty analysis8.6Regulatory and concession fit8.7Tariff and financing proposal8.8Recommendation of an alternative8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is advanced Excel, R, Python (pandas), @RISK, QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. The tests are based on real procedures from economic and financial feasibility studies of water projects, analysis of municipal tariff structures and multi-criteria assessments with local stakeholders. Assessment is continuous across each module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Apply the principles of water economics to the analysis of non-conventional resources.
Assess the financial viability of regeneration and desalination projects.
Carry out cost-benefit and multi-criteria analysis of supply alternatives.
Interpret the European and Spanish regulatory framework for alternative water.
Design tariff structures that comply with the cost recovery principle.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient English to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme uses advanced Excel, R, Python (pandas), @RISK and QGIS. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. This is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the credit recognition policy when you enrol.
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