RESEARCH ARTICLE PRIORITY-BASED DECISION MODEL FOR REHABILITATION OF WATER NETWORKS USING FAHP

Abstract

Determining the priority of large-scale water network rehabilitation projects is a decision-maker challenge. This study aims to provide decision-makers with a robust, cost-effective, and adaptable model that prioritizes water distribution network rehabilitation projects using a multi-criteria decision-making method. The study explored the main factors that influence setting the priority of large-scale rehabilitating the water network. Accordingly, five main factor categories were determined: physical, operational, socioeconomic, environmental, and quality of service. Each of these categories was evaluated and weighed by experts and stakeholders. The results showed that the physical factors weigh the highest in the decision process. Conversely, socioeconomic and environmental factors weigh the least in the decision process. The attained factors were used in developing a comprehensive priority-based decision model using a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process to facilitate the decision-making process. The weights of contributing factors and the comparative strength of these factors were judged by experts and stakeholders. A sensitivity analysis of the model revealed that the operational factors were more influential on the decision although the physical factors had more weight. The study tested the model on five water distribution networks in Amman, Jordan. The test results showed that the model was successful in providing a sound priority list of network rehabilitation projects to the decision-maker.