Urban Water Management Using Fuzzy-Probabilistic Multi-Objective Programming with Dynamic Efficiency

This paper introduces a new multi-objective optimization model for integrated urban water management. The model, based on compromise programming, is applied for the case of Tabriz city in Iran. The water demand of this city is rapidly growing and because of the limited resources, water supply is now more vulnerable to any mismanagement. Therefore the model attempts to optimize the water supply plan of city concerning three main objectives of maximizing the water supply, minimizing the cost and minimizing the environmental hazards. Due to the vagueness in defining the first objective, it is modeled by using the fuzzy set theory. Further, the uncertainty in satisfying some constraints is tackled by using the chance constraint approach. The decision variables are the extent of water withdrawal from the city aquifer, three different water transfer schemes and also the extent of demand management by leaks detection and pipes rehabilitation. Then the fuzzy-probabilistic multi-objective model is solved by considering the new idea of dynamic efficiency in the utility of decision maker and the results provide the optimum water supply in the planning horizon. The model results in robust solutions in which the demand management option dominates the new water transfer. Implementing the results of this model supports the environmental conservation and sustainable development. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010