Identifying and Investigating the Factors Affecting Household Water Consumption with the Fuzzy Delfi and Topsis Hybrid Approach

فصلنامه آب و توسعه پایدار

Article 3, Volume 8, Issue 4 - Serial Number 22, March 2022, Pages 11-22   

Document Type: Applied Article

DOI: 10.22067/jwsd.v8i4.2107.1061

Authors

habibollah dadashi divkolaei^{* 1}; Ali Sorayaei^{* 2}; , Seyed Ali Ali Nabavi Chashmi³

¹Ph.D. Candidate of Industrial Management, Department of Management, College of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Babol Branch, Babol, Iran

²Assistant Professor, Department of Management, College of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Babol Branch, Babol, Iran

³Associate Professor, Department of Management, College of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Babol Branch, Babol, Iran

Abstract

In recent years, many cities have been suffering from a shortage of drinking water, mainly due to population growth. Therefore, the tendency to curb excessive water consumption by identifying the main factors affecting consumer behavior in the management of drinking water resources has become very important. Understanding this necessity, the purpose of this study is to identify, and prioritize the factors affecting the pattern of water consumption in the home sector. In this regard, by reviewing the literature in the field of water and interviewing industry experts, the factors affecting consumption in various criteria were identified and monitored. Then, through fuzzy Delphi, action factors were examined and finally, 7 main economic, social, cultural, technical and engineering, legal and managerial, spatial and temporal criteria with 26 sub-criteria were identified. Evaluation and ranking of these factors were performed using the fuzzy Topsis technique. Results obtained from the research of family awareness with weight (0.756) first rank, use of water reducing devices (0.670) second rank, advertising and education (0.603) third rank, consumption motivation (0.545) rank Fourth, water tariffs and pricing (0.508) were ranked fifth and the use of new valves (0.423) was ranked sixth. The findings show that among the various factors, educating and increasing the awareness of households on how to consume water and the use of reducing devices can play an important role in managing water consumption.

Keywords

Fuzzy Delphi; Effective Factors on Water Consumption; Fuzzy Topsis; Consumption Management

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