A new approach to aid urban water management decision making using trade-off sacrifice modelled by fuzzy logic

2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 11-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Lai ◽  
S. Lundie ◽  
N.J. Ashbolt
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Trade Off

An approach to aid decision making for urban water management is presented that is based on the concept of trade-off sacrifice level in pairwise comparisons between criteria, modelled using fuzzy logic. This approach is illustrated by a case study – selection of alternative water supplies for a Sydney household. Four key decision making criteria covering health, economic, environment and technical aspects are selected: annual probability of infection, life cycle energy use, life cycle cost and reliability. The decision making problem is to select between cases with different volume and application of recycled greywater and rainwater in light of the four criteria. Decision maker's preference is expressed by five levels of trade-off sacrifice between pairs of criteria. The decision makers can assign their preferences for sacrifice level by linguistic assessment and the output trade-off weight (TOW). Measures of decision makers' perceived trade-off level are modelled by a rule-based fuzzy logic control system. The final analysis shows the performance for each sacrifice class for each case, to aid overall decision making with stakeholders.

Realising sustainable urban water management: Can social theory help?

2013 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Bos ◽  
R. R. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
System Change ◽  
Water Systems ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Sustainable Urban Water Management ◽  
Social Theories ◽  
Technical Systems

It has been acknowledged, in Australia and beyond, that existing urban water systems and management lead to unsustainable outcomes. Therefore, our current socio-technical systems, consisting of institutions, structures and rules, which guide traditional urban water practices, need to change. If a change towards sustainable urban water management (SUWM) practices is to occur, a transformation of our established social-technical configuration that shapes the behaviour and decision making of actors is needed. While some constructive innovations that support this transformation have occurred, most innovations remain of a technical nature. These innovative projects do not manage to achieve the widespread social and institutional change needed for further diffusion and uptake of SUWM practices. Social theory, and its research, is increasingly being recognised as important in responding to the challenges associated with evolving to a more sustainable form of urban water management. This paper integrates three areas of social theories around change in order to provide a conceptual framework that can assist with socio-technical system change. This framework can be utilised by urban water practitioners in the design of interventions to stimulate transitions towards SUWM.

scholarly journals A Clustered, Decentralized Approach to Urban Water Management

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seneshaw Tsegaye ◽  
Thomas M. Missimer ◽  
Jong-Yeop Kim ◽  
Jason Hock
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Water Supply Systems ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Reduced Pressure ◽  
Supply Systems ◽  
Optimal Cluster ◽  
Centralized System

Current models in design of urban water management systems and their corresponding infrastructure using centralized designs have commonly failed from the perspective of cost effectiveness and inability to adapt to the future changes. These challenges are driving cities towards using decentralized systems. While there is great consensus on the benefits of decentralization; currently no methods exist which guide decision-makers to define the optimal boundaries of decentralized water systems. A new clustering methodology and tool to decentralize water supply systems (WSS) into small and adaptable units is presented. The tool includes two major components: (i) minimization of the distance from source to consumer by assigning demand to the closest water source, and (ii) maximization of the intra-cluster homogeneity by defining the cluster boundaries such that the variation in population density, land use, socio-economic level, and topography within the cluster is minimized. The methodology and tool were applied to Arua Town in Uganda. Four random cluster scenarios and a centralized system were created and compared with the optimal clustered WSS. It was observed that the operational cost of the four cluster scenarios is up to 13.9 % higher than the optimal, and the centralized system is 26.6% higher than the optimal clustered WSS, consequently verifying the efficacy of the proposed method to determine an optimal cluster boundary for WSS. In addition, optimal homogeneous clusters improve efficiency by encouraging reuse of wastewater and stormwater within a cluster and by minimizing leakage through reduced pressure variations.

scholarly journals Role of Models in the Decision-Making Process in Integrated Urban Water Management: A Review

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1252
Author(s):  
Leila Mosleh ◽  
Masoud Negahban-Azar
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Wastewater Management ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Modeling Tools ◽  
Integrated Urban Water Management ◽  
Wide Range

Managing urban water systems in which stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water sectors affect each other is a difficult task that requires the right modeling tools for decision making. Integrated urban water management models (IUWMs) are tools that allow decision makers to demonstrate the effectiveness of various management, operational and design strategies. Although models are useful tools, the wide range of available models with many different capabilities make it challenging for the users to select an appropriate model for their specific objectives. In this review we investigated the capabilities of popular models in IUWM. We developed a comprehensive list of indicators to compare the capabilities of the models. We also analyzed the application of these models in a comparative way and evaluated their input requirements. Finally, we provided a procedure to select the appropriate model in the management environment based on the user’s needs. In summary, the results show that most of the models’ applications are focused on supply and demand, wastewater management, and stormwater management. Very few models consider social factors and policy aspects in IUWM. While each model has its own advantages, we found some of them, such as MIKE Urban, Hydro Planner, and Aqua Cycle, to be more comprehensive. Nevertheless, there are still gaps in the models in areas such as water-energy nexus, evaluating ecosystem services, including socioeconomic factors and sustainability analysis.

Application of an Interactive Water Simulation Model in urban water management: a case study in Amsterdam

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 1729-1739 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Leskens ◽  
M. Brugnach ◽  
A. Y. Hoekstra
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Simulation Model ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Current Water ◽  
Water Simulation ◽  
Computation Algorithms

Water simulation models are available to support decision-makers in urban water management. To use current water simulation models, special expertise is required. Therefore, model information is prepared prior to work sessions, in which decision-makers weigh different solutions. However, this model information quickly becomes outdated when new suggestions for solutions arise and are therefore limited in use. We suggest that new model techniques, i.e. fast and flexible computation algorithms and realistic visualizations, allow this problem to be solved by using simulation models during work sessions. A new Interactive Water Simulation Model was applied for two case study areas in Amsterdam and was used in two workshops. In these workshops, the Interactive Water Simulation Model was positively received. It included non-specialist participants in the process of suggesting and selecting possible solutions and made them part of the accompanying discussions and negotiations. It also provided the opportunity to evaluate and enhance possible solutions more often within the time horizon of a decision-making process. Several preconditions proved to be important for successfully applying the Interactive Water Simulation Model, such as the willingness of the stakeholders to participate and the preparation of different general main solutions that can be used for further iterations during a work session.

Design of an institutional decision-making process: The case of urban water management

2009 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 1030-1042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Starkl ◽  
Norbert Brunner ◽  
Werner Flögl ◽  
Johann Wimmer
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management

Planning scales and approval processes for IUWM projects; lessons from Melbourne, Australia

Water Policy ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 783-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casey Furlong ◽  
Saman De Silva ◽  
Lachlan Guthrie
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
International Research ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Recycled Water ◽  
Financial Evaluation ◽  
Water Planning ◽  
Research Programmes

In the Australian context integrated urban water management (IUWM) processes consistently recommend the implementation of recycled water and stormwater harvesting projects. These projects are typically decentralised and planned by a variety of organisational types. Major international research programmes have thus far focused on how IUWM should be operationalised as a single-tier, city scale planning system. This study investigates IUWM in relation to two under researched aspects: planning scales and approval processes, by investigating eight project case studies from Melbourne, Australia. Results reveal that IUWM projects are often planned at the sub-regional and local scales, without coordination from metro scale strategies, and that many of these projects are experiencing issues achieving final approvals. Major barriers to approval include a lack of communication between regulators and planners, and the absence of consistent financial evaluation methods. A multi-tier water planning system has been proposed to lessen these barriers through effective division of decision making responsibilities across scales, and setting of consistent frameworks, methods, and objectives at the metro scale. It is considered that this multi-tier planning system may help facilitate the implementation of decentralised IUWM projects.

scholarly journals Collaborative, Risk-Informed, Triple Bottom Line, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Planning Framework for Integrated Urban Water Management

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne Cole ◽  
Sybil Sharvelle ◽  
Neil Grigg ◽  
Gary Pivo ◽  
Jon Haukaas
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Decision Analysis ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Planning Framework

The historical division of water management into different sectors, with financially and technologically driven decision processes, makes taking a more holistic approach to finding sustainable solutions for urban water management difficult. Here, a planning framework for Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) that evolved during a two-year study evaluating alternative strategies for dual water supply within a local government context is described. The planning framework was developed to overcome the obstacles that surfaced over the course of the study. It provides a structured approach to strategic decision making that integrates triple bottom line (TBL), multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, and participatory decision making into an exploration of water supply alternatives. TBL assured stakeholders that the decisions considered the financial, social, and environmental performance. MCDA provided visibility into the benefits and trade-offs of the alternatives by providing a quantitative method for comparing alternatives that incorporates incommensurate performance indicators and priorities of multiple stakeholders. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses addressed concerns regarding decision risk and improved transparency into inputs driving uncertainty in the analysis. Finally, a flexible participatory process helped to circumvent socio-institutional barriers by adapting the methodology and increasing cooperation among stakeholders and multidisciplinary experts. The resulting collaborative, risk-informed, TBL-MCDA (CRTM) planning framework helps to refine the feasible set of alternatives by providing more transparency into the drivers, technologies, and stakeholders influencing the decision. The planning framework increased the number of participants that were involved in the study, increased interaction between participants, changed the structure of the decision problem, increased the number of performance indicators considered, and improved stakeholder cooperation in the decision process.

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