Prioritizing potential use of urban treated wastewater using expert-oriented and multi-criteria decision-making approaches: a case study in Iran.

Allocating effluent of wastewater treatment plants to users of economic sectors and satisfying their requirements has created a challenging debate and a need for prioritization. This study assesses the importance of sectors that utilize treated wastewater (TWW) using risk and social acceptability indexes based on expert-oriented approaches. Considered sectors are agriculture, industry, urban green space and natural resources and the study area is located in Iran, around the Isfahan North Wastewater Treatment Plant. The risk index is calculated using Frank and Morgan model and consequently TWW use in the industrial sector is less dangerous than other sectors. Moreover, the social acceptability index, which was determined using Mamdani fuzzy inference set, indicates higher acceptability of TWW use in natural resources sector compared with other sectors. By constructing the conceptual model, generating the decision matrix and using the results of gray relational analysis decision-making model for the four sectors, the allocation priorities of TWW became industry, natural resource, green space, and agriculture respectively. It is suggested that Water and Wastewater Company grant permission for TWW use to water-consuming industries and man-made forests development, which result in increasing employment, reduction of harmful effects of dust, and water consumption decrease.

How to use composite indicator and linear programming model for determine sustainable tourism.

BACKGROUND: The tourism industry which is one of the most dynamic economic activities in today's world plays a significant role in the sustainable development. Therefore, in addition to paying attention to tourism, sustainable tourism must be taken into huge account; otherwise, the environment and its health will be damaged irreparably. METHODS: To determine the level of sustainability in this study, indicators of sustainable tourism were first presented in three environmental health, economic and social aspects. Then, the levels of sustainable tourism and environmental sustainability were practically measured in different cities of Kerman Province using a composite indicator, a linear programming model, Delphi method and the questionnaire technique. Finally, the study cities (tourist attractions) were ranked. RESULTS: Result of this study showed that unfortunately the tourism opportunities were not used appropriately in these cities and tourist destinations, and that environmental aspect (health and environmental sustainability) had very bad situations compared to social and economic aspects. In other words, environmental health had the lowest levels of sustainability. CONCLUSIONS: The environment is a place for all human activities like tourism, social and economic issues; therefore, its stability and health is of great importance. Thus, it is necessary to pay more attention to sustainability of activities, management and environmental health in planning sustainable development in regional and national policy.