Decision support framework adapted to local conditions to select technologies for rural domestic sewage treatment in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

Abstract

The construction of domestic sewage treatment facilities plays a prominent role in solving rural water pollution and thus keeping the environment cleaner. Considering the applicability of the technology, the selection based on the sewage treatment decision framework is necessary. Although there are various sewage treatment technologies (STTs) available, the decision frameworks that adapt to local conditions for different rural areas are limited. This study proposed a new decision support framework for the suitability selection of rural domestic STTs. It integrated the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the mathematical model of quantitative relationship (MMQR), and the gray relational analysis (GCA) into the framework. EFA was applied to construct different application scenarios, quantitative relationships between scenarios and technical applications were established through MMQR, and GCA was used to identify the correlation between different standards. The framework has been tested and validated on real case studies in rural areas of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). The results clearly explain the technology selection process and justify the framework's user-friendliness and reliability in case studies. The proposed framework can provide scientific decision-making support for the selection of alternative technologies for rural sewage treatment in the YREB and also offer help for relevant research in other areas with unbalanced economic development.