Technical note: Water conservation in Kuwait: A fuzzy analysis approach
Subject Areas : Mathematical Optimization
1 - Research Scientist, Techno-Economics Division, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait
Keywords: Water conservation, Fresh water production, Multi-Criteria Decision Making, fuzzy numbers,
Abstract :
In an arid country like Kuwait with harsh and hot climate conditions, the scarcity of fresh water supplies presents a serious threat to sustainable socio-economic development and growth. Kuwait is an oil rich country with capital abundance and coastal locations enabled it to build desalination plants for fresh water production that is sold to the customers at highly subsidized prices. However, due to the sharp increase in population, and misuse of fresh water, there are shortages in water supply. Therefore, Kuwait should take appropriate measures to tackle this problem. This study examines the different course of actions required for water conservations by soliciting water experts` opinion. The problem is complex in nature, it constitutes a multi-criteria decision making problem since it comprises several criteria. The Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) is utilized as a decision tool for finding the best course of actions to bring about water conservation. In this work, three factors are considered along with six water conservation policies.