Decision Analysis Applications for the Sustainability of Global Urban Water Resources and Drainage Systems

Abstract

Water is one of the most vital elements needed for life. In many countries water supplies, especially for critical drinking water, are either being depleted or polluted. Too often these problems are magnified due to the lack of reliable drainage systems that provide proper stormwater and sanitary sewage collection and treatment of human generated wastewater. These problems cause health concerns and impact the quality of life. Solutions in one country are not necessarily transferable to another, as every community is unique; each community has special needs for water and drainage systems. Too often in the past, countries have tried to implement systems that are not suitable to their local needs and concerns. Consequently, there is a global need to create a systematic decision analysis tool to provide strategies for finding sustainable water resources and drainage systems solutions. A new sustainable decision analysis system is developed to address these problems and concerns. This paper serves as an introduction for future more fully developed examinations of various urban water use and drainage issues worldwide, such as water supplies polluted with arsenic, and water reuse in arid regions.