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Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering

ISSN 2095-2201

ISSN 2095-221X(Online)

CN 10-1013/X

Postal Subscription Code 80-973

2018 Impact Factor: 3.883

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.    2015, Vol. 9 Issue (1) : 131-137    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-014-0718-1
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Practical evaluation for water utilities in China by using analytic hierarchy process
Hong CHEN1,2, Feng XIAO2(), Zhe BI2, Ping XIAO2, Dongsheng WANG2, Ming YANG2
1. School of Hydraulic Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410004, China
2. Key Laboratory of Water Quality Sciences, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Abstract

The risk of water utilities would include the water quality failure and the water quantity failure, from the source to the tap, including the catchment, treatment, distribution and the customer plumbing system. In this paper, we proposed a practical evaluation method based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The hierarchical structure of the water utilities was established in terms of the fault event analysis from the past failure accidents. The severity of criteria was preset by the experts and the probability of criteria was determined by a modified CUWA-TSM sheet with the consideration of the actual situations of the supply system. The evaluation model was successfully performed by a case study. Although, the method in this paper may not be as good as the framework of WSPs, it has a great advantage compared to WSPs and TSM. The risk management can be applied through specific software packages with a user-friendly interface, which means it is easier to implement. In addition, it can point out the critical control points (CCPs) for the decision-makers. So we believe this method will improve and play a more and more active role in the development of the risk management in China water works.

Keywords analytic hierarchy process (AHP)      risk management      water quality failure      water quantity failure     
Corresponding Author(s): Feng XIAO   
Online First Date: 30 May 2014    Issue Date: 31 December 2014
 Cite this article:   
Hong CHEN,Feng XIAO,Zhe BI, et al. Practical evaluation for water utilities in China by using analytic hierarchy process[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2015, 9(1): 131-137.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-014-0718-1
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2015/V9/I1/131
Fig.1  Schematic description of the AHP process in the conceptual model
ranking description, probability/frequency
severity
1 insignificant
2 minor
3 moderate
4 major
5 catastrophic
probability
1 rare
2 unlikely
3 moderate
4 likely
5 almost certain
risk
0–5 very low
5–10 low
10–15 medium
15–20 high
20–25 very high
Tab.1  Ranking description of consequence, probability and risk
severity probability risk
C11 drainage- animal husbandry, planting,herbicides, pesticides etc., agriculture activity 4 4 16
C12 traffic accidents- transportation of toxic (oil, toxic chemicals etc.) 4 2 8
C13 industrial accidents- mining activities?causing?ground?erosion,?chemicals and?pollutants?emissions 5 2 10
Tab.2  Risk values in the principal layer for the source water
Fig.2  Hierarchical structure for the source water quality failure
Fig.3  Hierarchical structure for the source water quantity failure
B1 B2 B3 B4 B5
quality risk 11.492 11.923 8.091 10.314 8.184
quantity risk 9.038 9.953 null null Null
Tab.3  Risk values in the principal layer for the source water
catchment treatment distribution customer plumbing system total risk
risk for water quality 10.374 6.227 12.712 11.910 9.336
risk for water quantity 9.517 7.154 11.834 6.340 8.711
Tab.4  Risk values for one typical water supply chain (case study)
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