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Multi-criteria Decision Analysis: A Strategic Planning Tool for Water Loss Management

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  • Harrison Mutikanga
  • Saroj Sharma
  • Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy

Abstract

Water utilities particularly in the developing countries continue to operate with considerable inefficiencies in terms of water and revenue losses. With increasing water demand and scarcity, utilities require effective strategies for optimum use of available water resources. Diverse water loss reduction options exist. Deciding on which option to choose amidst conflicting multiple criteria and different interests of stakeholders is a challenging task. In this paper, an integrated multi-criteria decision-aiding framework for strategic planning of water loss management is presented. The PROMETHEE II method was applied within the framework in prioritizing water loss reduction options for Kampala city. A strategic plan that combines selective mains and service lines replacement and pressure management as priorities is the best compromise based on preferences of the decision makers and seven evaluation criteria characterized by financial-economic, environmental, public health, technical and social impacts. The results show that the most preferred options are those that enhance water supply reliability, public health and water conservation measures. This study demonstrates how decision theory coupled with operational research techniques could be applied in practice to solve complex water management and planning problems. Copyright The Author(s) 2011

Suggested Citation

  • Harrison Mutikanga & Saroj Sharma & Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy, 2011. "Multi-criteria Decision Analysis: A Strategic Planning Tool for Water Loss Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 25(14), pages 3947-3969, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:25:y:2011:i:14:p:3947-3969
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-011-9896-9
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    2. Dawid Szpak, 2020. "Method for Determining the Probability of a Lack of Water Supply to Consumers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-16, October.
    3. Isabel Domínguez & Edgar Ricardo Oviedo-Ocaña & Karen Hurtado & Andrés Barón & Ralph P. Hall, 2019. "Assessing Sustainability in Rural Water Supply Systems in Developing Countries Using a Novel Tool Based on Multi-Criteria Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-22, September.
    4. María Reyes* & Aleksandar Petri?i? & Nemanja Trifunovi? & Saroj Sharma & Saroj Sharma, 2019. "Water Management Strategies Using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis in Santa Cruz Island (Galapagos Archipelago)," Scientific Review, Academic Research Publishing Group, vol. 5(6), pages 112-123, 06-2019.
    5. Abbas Roozbahani & Banafsheh Zahraie & Massoud Tabesh, 2012. "PROMETHEE with Precedence Order in the Criteria (PPOC) as a New Group Decision Making Aid: An Application in Urban Water Supply Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(12), pages 3581-3599, September.
    6. Konstantinos Tsagarakis, 2013. "Does Size Matter? Operating Cost Coverage for Water Utilities," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(5), pages 1551-1562, March.
    7. S. Ashbolt & S. Maheepala & B. Perera, 2014. "A Framework for Short-term Operational Planning for Water Grids," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(8), pages 2367-2380, June.
    8. Jaber Alkasseh & Mohd Adlan & Ismail Abustan & Hamidi Aziz & Abu Hanif, 2013. "Applying Minimum Night Flow to Estimate Water Loss Using Statistical Modeling: A Case Study in Kinta Valley, Malaysia," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(5), pages 1439-1455, March.
    9. Maria Cunha & João Marques & Dragan Savić, 2020. "A Flexible Approach for the Reinforcement of Water Networks Using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 34(14), pages 4469-4490, November.
    10. Abbas Al-Omari, 2013. "A Methodology for the Breakdown of NRW into Real and Administrative Losses," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(7), pages 1913-1930, May.
    11. I. Karadirek & S. Kara & G. Yilmaz & A. Muhammetoglu & H. Muhammetoglu, 2012. "Implementation of Hydraulic Modelling for Water-Loss Reduction Through Pressure Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(9), pages 2555-2568, July.
    12. Xin-Yu Wan & Ping-An Zhong & Emmanuel Appiah-Adjei, 2014. "Variable Sets and Fuzzy Rating Interval for Water Allocation Options Assessment," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(10), pages 2833-2849, August.
    13. Vahid Karimi & Ezatollah Karami & Shobeir Karami & Marzieh Keshavarz, 2021. "Adaptation to climate change through agricultural paradigm shift," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 5465-5485, April.
    14. Salvador Saz-Salazar & Miguel A. García-Rubio & Francisco González-Gómez & Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo, 2016. "Managing Water Resources Under Conditions of Scarcity: On Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Improving Water Supply Infrastructure," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(5), pages 1723-1738, March.
    15. Anissa Frini & Sarah Benamor, 2018. "Making Decisions in a Sustainable Development Context: A State-of-the-Art Survey and Proposal of a Multi-period Single Synthesizing Criterion Approach," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 52(2), pages 341-385, August.
    16. Bruno Eustaquio Carvalho & Rui Cunha Marques & Oscar Cordeiro Netto, 2018. "Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA): an Ex-Post Analysis of Water Services by the Legal Review in Portugal," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(2), pages 675-699, January.
    17. B. Rousta & S. Araghinejad, 2015. "Development of a Multi Criteria Decision Making Tool for a Water Resources Decision Support System," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(15), pages 5713-5727, December.
    18. Ivana I. Mladenović-Ranisavljević & Lj. Takić & Đ. Nikolić, 2018. "Water Quality Assessment Based on Combined Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Method with Index Method," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(7), pages 2261-2276, May.
    19. Salehi, Sattar & Robles-Velasco, Alicia & Seyedzadeh, Ali & Ghazali, Aliakbar & Davoudiseresht, Mohsen, 2022. "A hybrid knowledge-based method for pipe renewal planning in Water Distribution Systems with limited data: Application to Iran," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    20. D. Bajić & D. Polomčić & J. Ratković, 2017. "Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for the Purposes of Groundwater Control System Design," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(15), pages 4759-4784, December.
    21. Flavio Trojan & Danielle Morais, 2015. "Maintenance Management Decision Model for Reduction of Losses in Water Distribution Networks," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(10), pages 3459-3479, August.
    22. Moslehi, Iman & Jalili Ghazizadeh, Mohammadreza & Yousefi-Khoshqalb, Ehsan, 2020. "An economic valuation model for alternative pressure management schemes in water distribution networks," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    23. Ijaz Ahmad & Fan Zhang & Junguo Liu & Muhammad Naveed Anjum & Muhammad Zaman & Muhammad Tayyab & Muhammad Waseem & Hafiz Umar Farid, 2018. "A linear bi-level multi-objective program for optimal allocation of water resources," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(2), pages 1-25, February.
    24. Shaher H. Zyoud & Daniela Fuchs-Hanusch, 2019. "Comparison of Several Decision-Making Techniques: A Case of Water Losses Management in Developing Countries," International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making (IJITDM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 18(05), pages 1551-1578, September.

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