Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) Framework for the Integrated Urban Water System

Over the past century urban water system of developed and developing cities are under increasing stress as water dearth. The estimation of possible solutions for water management in megacities requires the spatially distributed dynamic and grid-based replication of the evolution of public water infrastructure under consideration of changes (e.g. climate, global, environment, economy, and land-use). These simulations can be realized with the help of frameworks for integrated urban water system. The MCDA framework for integrated approaches of urban water system is characterized as single system (COMBINED SEWER SYSTEM) and entire system (WATER DISTRIBUTION, SEWER NETWORK etc.) investigation with consideration of decentralized system and spatial-temporal interactions and the dynamic feedback of population models to water infrastructure. Urban water system needs the frame work which will meet the sustainable needs of future. The present work identifies the best solutions for existing problems in urban water infrastructure while making interaction with stakeholders to reach sustainable framework for urban water management in this water dearth regions. This framework will provide new knowledge of sustainable integration system between the social and environmental issues.

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Sustainability of urban water system: examples from Fukuoka, Japan

Water Policy ◽

10.2166/wp.2008.064 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 501-513 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Justyna Czemiel Berndtsson ◽

Kenji Jinno

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Water Distribution ◽

Reclaimed Water ◽

Water System ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Management Policy ◽

Urban Water ◽

Urban Water Management ◽

Water Shortages ◽

Urban Water System

Urban water management policy in Japan, with examples from Fukuoka city, is described and the potential for sustainability of Fukuoka's urban water system is discussed. A framework of the qualitative characteristics of a sustainable system (including social, environmental and economic factors) is developed and used in the analyses presented here. The Fukuoka example shows that technically advanced solutions for use of reclaimed water and rainwater in buildings can be practically and economically feasible. Regarding the organization it is shown that the wastewater sector has a somewhat lower status than the water sector. It is argued that merging the water and wastewater sectors could stimulate the development of a holistic approach to urban water management, contribute to increasing resources availability for the wastewater sector and, in this way, the overall sustainability of the urban water system. Tackling water shortages through controlling water demand, investments in increasing water distribution efficiency and utilization of reclaimed water and rainwater in Fukuoka are all in line with increasing sustainability of the urban water system.

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Stress-Testing Framework for Urban Water Systems: A Source to Tap Approach for Stochastic Resilience Assessment

Water ◽

10.3390/w14020154 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 154

Author(s):

Dionysios Nikolopoulos ◽

Panagiotis Kossieris ◽

Ioannis Tsoukalas ◽

Christos Makropoulos

Keyword(s):

Water Distribution ◽

Stress Testing ◽

Water Cycle ◽

Water System ◽

Operating Conditions ◽

Distribution Model ◽

Generation Model ◽

Urban Water ◽

Testing Framework ◽

Urban Water System

Optimizing the design and operation of an Urban Water System (UWS) faces significant challenges over its lifespan to account for the uncertainties of important stressors that arise from population growth rates, climate change factors, or shifting demand patterns. The analysis of a UWS’s performance across interdependent subsystems benefits from a multi-model approach where different designs are tested against a variety of metrics and in different times scales for each subsystem. In this work, we present a stress-testing framework for UWSs that assesses the system’s resilience, i.e., the degree to which a UWS continues to perform under progressively increasing disturbance (deviation from normal operating conditions). The framework is underpinned by a modeling chain that covers the entire water cycle, in a source-to-tap manner, coupling a water resources management model, a hydraulic water distribution model, and a water demand generation model. An additional stochastic simulation module enables the representation and modeling of uncertainty throughout the water cycle. We demonstrate the framework by “stress-testing” a synthetic UWS case study with an ensemble of scenarios whose parameters are stochastically changing within the UWS simulation timeframe and quantify the uncertainty in the estimation of the system’s resilience.

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Isotopes from the Tap Reveal Urban Water System Dynamics

Eos ◽

10.1029/2016eo059879 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 97 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah Stanley

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

System Dynamics ◽

Environmental Stress ◽

Household Income ◽

Tap Water ◽

Water System ◽

Urban Water ◽

Urban Water System

Tracking isotope patterns in tap water also reveals metropolitan water management choices, population ranges, episodes of environmental stress, and even information on household income.

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Receptivity to transformative change in the Dutch urban water management sector

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2009.179 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 311-320 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

R. E. de Graaf ◽

R. J. Dahm ◽

J. Icke ◽

R. W. Goetgeluk ◽

S. J. T. Jansen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Water Management ◽

Water System ◽

Water Systems ◽

Management Policy ◽

Urban Water ◽

Transformative Change ◽

Urban Water Management ◽

Urban Water System ◽

Urban Water Systems

Worldwide, the need for transformative change in urban water management is acknowledged by scientists and policy makers. The effects of climate change and developments such as urbanization, the European Water Framework Directive, and societal concerns about the sustainability of urban water system force the sector to adapt. In The Netherlands, a shift towards integration of spatial planning and water management can be observed. Despite major changes in water management policy and approach, changes in the physical urban water management infrastructure remain limited to incremental solutions and demonstration projects. Policy studies show that institutional factors and professional perceptions are important factors for application of innovations in urban water management. An online survey among Dutch urban water management professionals demonstrates that according to most respondents, optimization of the current system is sufficient to achieve both European and national objectives for sustainable urban water management. The respondents are most concerned with the effects of climate change on urban water systems. In contrast to current policy of the national government, priority factors that should be addressed to achieve a more sustainable urban water system are improving knowledge of local urban water systems, capacity building, developing trust between stakeholders, and improving involvement of elected officials and citizens.

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Life cycle assessment (LCA) of urban water infrastructure: emerging approaches to balance objectives and inform comprehensive decision-making

Environmental Science Water Research & Technology ◽

10.1039/c7ew00175d ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (6) ◽

pp. 1002-1014 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Diana M. Byrne ◽

Hannah A. C. Lohman ◽

Sherri M. Cook ◽

Gregory M. Peters ◽

Jeremy S. Guest

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Water System ◽

The State ◽

Urban Water ◽

Water Infrastructure ◽

Urban Water System ◽

System Sustainability

This review describes the state of the art, identifies emerging opportunities, and develops a path forward for LCA to better address urban water system sustainability.

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Cascade vulnerability for risk analysis of water infrastructure

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2011.813 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 64 (9) ◽

pp. 1885-1891 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

R. Sitzenfrei ◽

M. Mair ◽

M. Möderl ◽

W. Rauch

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Risk Analysis ◽

Water Distribution ◽

Urban Drainage ◽

Urban Water ◽

Water Infrastructure ◽

Urban Water Management ◽

Drainage Systems ◽

Urban Drainage Systems ◽

Vulnerability Maps

One of the major tasks in urban water management is failure-free operation for at least most of the time. Accordingly, the reliability of the network systems in urban water management has a crucial role. The failure of a component in these systems impacts potable water distribution and urban drainage. Therefore, water distribution and urban drainage systems are categorized as critical infrastructure. Vulnerability is the degree to which a system is likely to experience harm induced by perturbation or stress. However, for risk assessment, we usually assume that events and failures are singular and independent, i.e. several simultaneous events and cascading events are unconsidered. Although failures can be causally linked, a simultaneous consideration in risk analysis is hardly considered. To close this gap, this work introduces the term cascade vulnerability for water infrastructure. Cascade vulnerability accounts for cascading and simultaneous events. Following this definition, cascade risk maps are a merger of hazard and cascade vulnerability maps. In this work cascade vulnerability maps for water distribution systems and urban drainage systems based on the ‘Achilles-Approach’ are introduced and discussed. It is shown, that neglecting cascading effects results in significant underestimation of risk scenarios.

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Urban Water System Dynamics and Conflict Resolution

Urban Water Engineering and Management ◽

10.1201/b15857-11 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 427-461

Keyword(s):

Conflict Resolution ◽

System Dynamics ◽

Water System ◽

Urban Water ◽

Urban Water System

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Managing Apparent Loss and Real Loss from the Nexus Perspective Using System Dynamics

Water ◽

10.3390/w14020231 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 231

Author(s):

Seo Hyung Choi ◽

Bongwoo Shin ◽

Eunher Shin

Keyword(s):

System Dynamics ◽

Water Loss ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Water System ◽

Economic Feasibility ◽

Water Utilities ◽

Urban Water ◽

Water Losses ◽

Urban Water System ◽

Apparent Loss

When water utilities establish water loss control programs, they traditionally focus on apparent loss rather than real loss when considering economic feasibility in the water sector. There is an urgent need for new management approaches that can address complex relationships and ensure the sustainability of natural resources among different sectors. This study suggests a novel approach for water utilities to manage water losses from the water-energy (WE) Nexus perspective. The Nexus model uses system dynamics to simulate twelve scenarios with the differing status of water loss and energy intensities. This analysis identifies real loss as one of the main causes of resource waste and an essential factor from the Nexus perspective. It also demonstrates that the energy intensity of each process in the urban water system has a significant impact on resource use and transfer. The consumption and movement of resources can be quantified in each process involved in the urban water system to distinguish central and vulnerable processes. This study suggests that the Nexus approach can strongly contribute to quantifying the use and movement of resources between water and energy sectors and the strategic formulation of sustainable and systematic water loss management strategies from the Nexus perspective.

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