AHP-GP approach by considering the leopold matrix for sustainable water reuse allocation: Najafabad case study, Iran

Abstract

Water reuse allocation is one of the major challenges in water resource management which requires the assessment of water reuse alternatives, especially in regions with limitation in water resources, arid climates, population growth and increasing water demand. Considering the complexity of the problem, water reuse allocation by using conventional methods for maximizing benefits, minimizing cost and environmental risks, cannot guarantee optimal allocation. In this paper, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) which can be combined with Goal Programming (GP) by considering the Leopold matrix for carrying-out the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is used for sustainable water reuse allocation for multiple stakeholders in Najafabad as a case study. The results show that the developed mathematical model with combination of quantitative evaluation and optimization can be considered as an effective and flexible tool for creating better guidelines to adapt the requirements of various stakeholders for better allocation of recycled water. Finally, based on sensitivity analysis in AHP, a What-If analysis in GP is performed to the robustness of the final results of water reuse allocation.