Abstract
Integrated urban water management calls for tools that can analyze and simulate the complete cycle including the physical, technical, and social dimensions. Scientific advances created simulation tools able to simulate the urban water cycle as realistically as possible. However, even these tools cannot effectively simulate the social component and quantify how behaviors are shaped by external stress factors, such as climate and policies. In this work, an agent-based modeling tool, urban water agents' behavior (UWAB) is used to simulate the water demand behavior of households and how it is influenced by water demand management strategies and drought conditions. UWAB was applied in Athens, Greece to explore the effect of different water demand management strategies to the reliability of the Athens hydrosystem. The results illustrate the usability of UWAB to support decision makers in identifying how “strict” water demand management measures are needed and when and for how long to deploy them in order to alleviate potential water supply issues.
Highlights
It is acknowledged by many researchers [1,2,3,4,5,6] that urban water management needs a shift in practices
The results illustrate the usability of urban water agents’ behavior (UWAB) to support decision makers in identifying how “strict” water demand management measures are needed and when and for how long to deploy them in order to alleviate potential water supply issues
This approach is obstructed by an increased uncertainty linked to the reaction of the public to different water demand management measures
Summary
It is acknowledged by many researchers [1,2,3,4,5,6] that urban water management needs a shift in practices. Water supply requires the replacement of unsustainable technical solutions, like creating ever new reservoirs, abstracting more groundwater, transferring water from other river basins, with the use of alternative water sources (treated, desalinated, and rain-harvested water), and water demand management, including policies that encourage water-use efficiency. This approach is obstructed by an increased uncertainty linked to the reaction of the public to different water demand management measures. Price strategies consist of the manipulation of water prices to reduce water demand
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