A multi-criteria decision making approach to balance water supply-demand strategies in water supply systems

Abstract

Since climate change cannot be controlled, water resources must to be managed in order to adapt the relationship between water supply and water demand to these changes (Poustie et al., 2015). In this sense, water management related just on operational routines, i.e., actions for water catchment and distribution without worrying about water availability in future, has become unacceptable (Wang et al., 2014). Thus, there are two generic strategies to water scarcity: (1) develop new sources of supply, and (2) demand management (Araral & Wang, 2013; Omar, 2013). Demand management refers to solutions to reduce the quantity of water needed for a specific activity. This strategy seeks the efficient of water use by users (i.e. society or economic sectors), reducing and reusing water resources where possible (Brooks, 2006). In this sense, two mechanisms for regulating demand for water are most common: price and non-price mechanisms. The first occurs often through increasing block tariff; and the last includes public education, community mobilization, supply restrictions, and use of technical and engineering solutions (Araral & Wang, 2013). On the other hand, supply management aims, mainly, to increase the water availability. For this, some action should be taken to improve the water supply system, such as: modernization of equipment, expansion of the structure for both water catchment and water distribution, changes in operational and routine procedures (Wang et al., 2014).

Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods to Address Water Allocation Problems: A Systematic Review

“…Lee M et al [81] used a multi-attribute weighted method to minimize sever water shortage from excessive irrigation use of the Choshui river, Taiwan. One publication used both multi-attribute and multi-objective methods for feasible actions (alternatives) that can balance water supply-demand in the semi-arid region of northeast Brazil, i.e., PROMETHEE V and Integer linear programming (ILP) [82].…”

New Strategy to Reduce Water Consumption and Waste Generation During the Mechanical Milking Process in a Small Cattle Sector

“…Rationalizing the use of water is one of the main alternatives of a water resources management program, and it is essential to determine the quantity and quality level of water necessary for each use. The measures to reduce water consumption include the modification of procedures and exchange of equipment that consumes a large amount of water and that are already installed on the production line, as well as the search for new technologies and production procedures (Cambrainha & Fontana, 2018).…”

Non-compensatory decision model for incorporating the sustainable development criteria in flood risk management plans

“…Banihabib et al [4] conclude that non-compensatory model has less sensitivity to criteria weights and therefore is more reliable in decision making for water shortage mitigation [4]. In water supply-demand strategies decision making, Cambrainha et al [9] proved the robustness of non-compensatory models in the first three ranks of alternative options [9]. The non-compensatory MCDM models could also reflected the relative importance of the objectives established in integrated rehabilitation management scheme by Tscheikner-Gratl et al [47,48].…”