A Decision-Support System for Sustainable Water Distribution System Planning

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Water Resource Management
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Effective water resource management requires robust decision-support tools.
• Current systems may lack intuitive visualization for complex water distribution data.
• Stakeholder and decision-maker engagement is crucial for successful water management plans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate an interactive decision-support system (DSS) for water resource management.
• To enhance the readability and usability of water distribution system data through advanced visualization techniques.
• To assess the system's effectiveness and efficiency with water management experts.

Main Methods:

• Development of a prototype DSS incorporating circle views, grid layout, small multiple maps, and node simplification.
• Implementation of visualization techniques to improve data readability.
• Conducting a case study involving three urban water management and sanitary engineering experts.

Main Results:

• The developed DSS demonstrated satisfactory performance in aiding water resource management planning.
• Visualization techniques significantly improved the readability of complex water distribution data.
• Experts found the system efficient and effective for preparing management plans.

Conclusions:

• The interactive DSS is a valuable tool for water resource management experts.
• Advanced visualization techniques enhance data comprehension and decision-making processes.
• The system's design facilitates better communication among decision-makers and stakeholders.