Dual-Level Material and Psychological Assessment of Urban Water Security in a Water-Stressed Coastal City

Abstract

Abstract:The acceleration of urbanization and industrialization has been gradually aggravating water security issues, such as water shortages, water pollution, and flooding or drought disasters and so on. Water security issues have become a great challenge to urban sustainable development. In this context, we proposed a dual-level material and psychological assessment method to assess urban water security. Psychological security coefficients were introduced in this method to combine material security and residents' security feelings. A typical water-stressed coastal city in China (Dalian) was chosen as a case study. The water security status of Dalian from 2010 to 2012 was analysed dynamically. The results indicated that the Dalian water security statuses from 2010 to 2012 were basically secure, but solutions to improve water security status and solve water resource problems are still required. This dual-level material and psychological assessment for urban water security has improved conventional material assessment through the introduction of psychological security coefficients, which can benefit decision-making for urban water planning, management and protection.

Developing and applying water security metrics in China: experience and challenges

“…the satisfaction with drinking water quality and water environment [49]. Huang et al [50] introduced the psychological security coefficients, which were obtained through a questionnaire survey, as part of the weights for the physical aspects of water security before getting the final water security index. Although public perception of water security matters to decision makers, the way how it is incorporated in water security assessment should be further studied, given that public perception of risk does not usually coincide with the actual risk, and the policy implication of the difference between the actual and perceived risk should be elaborated.…”

Progress in household water insecurity metrics: a cross‐disciplinary approach

“…These include characteristics related to the ecological services of water systems at watershed, regional, or national scales (Table 2). 62,103,109,110,[112][113][114][115][116] At the country or basin scale, multiple measures exist to identify thresholds for water-related risk in terms of hazard, vulnerability, and exposure of water insecurity. 76 At the household level, single-variable indicators, such as census data on household plumbing infrastructure, the basic water requirement, and affordability assessments, offer only proxies metrics of single characteristics that contribute to overall water insecurity.…”

Urban water security - what does it mean?

“…Two earlier water security definitions (Wutich and Ragsdale 2008;Hao, Du, and Gao 2012) had been applied in the urban context, but the definitions proposed were general. Only three definitions specific to urban water security have been identified as part of this study (see Table 3), all in the academic literature, with two focussed on 'capacity' and 'sustainability' (Chen and Shi 2016; Romero-Lankao and Gnatz 2016) and a third focused on 'access, safety, and affordability' and 'psychological' security (Huang, Xu, and Yin 2015).…”

“…Page 20 of 36 Table 3 Urban water security definitions Definition Reference Urban water security is defined as a persistent condition in a limited urban region under which water ecosystems can ensure the adequate access, safety, and affordability of water to meet minimum livelihood standards and human feelings of psychological security. (Huang, Xu, and Yin 2015) Urban water security is regarded as the capacity for sustainable development of the city under the influence of water resources, which could ensure the development of society, economy, ecological environment, citizens and humanistic environment. (Chen and Shi 2016) Urban water security is the capacity of urban water actors to maintain a sustainable availability of adequate quantities and quality of water, to foster resilient urban communities and ecosystems in the face of uncertain global change.…”