Studying Flood Threats for Water Supply Process in Rasht Metropolis

The issue of preparedness and security against unexpected events is so important in today's world that developed countries devote an important part of their comprehensive national planning to it. Population growth, agricultural water demand, and climate change increase the likelihood of water shortages. Flood is one of the most common natural disasters that brings significant impacts and damages to water supply. Therefore, checking the water supply chain is a necessary demand, and delaying it causes instability and vulnerability to natural and human crises. The purpose of this research is to study the flood threat on the water supply process. This applied study uses an integrated approach (qualitative and quantitative) to achieve its purposes. In the qualitative phase, theoretical literature review and interviews with experts are discussed. The sampling method was purposeful and 14 environmental management professors and water experts were selected. In the quantitative phase, a non-probability sampling method was used and 230 employees and workers of the water and sewage company of Gilan province answered the questionnaire. MAXQDA 2020 software was used in the qualitative method. Also in the quantitative method, the data were analyzed with the structural modeling approach and partial least squares method. The results of the analysis showed that there are positive and significant coefficients between the hidden variables (improvement, preventing arbitrary construction, primary control and assessment, provision of reserve facilities and coping facilities) and the flood threat.