Prioritizing educational strategies for optimizing drinking water consumption using the analytic hierarchy process
The increasing challenges in water resource management necessitate adopting efficient strategies to optimize water consumption, particularly in the household sector. This study identifies and prioritizes educational programs that can effectively reduce water consumption using a systematic decision-making approach.
The research employs a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) model, specifically the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to rank educational strategies based on their effectiveness. Data collection involved a combination of literature reviews, expert opinions, and survey questionnaires. A total of 28 experts in the fields of water management, education, and public policy participated in this study. The criteria evaluated included cost, educational effectiveness, sustainability of impacts, ease of implementation, and behavioral change. The decision alternatives included public education, school-based education, training for government and private sector employees, and technology-based education. Data analysis was performed using Expert Choice software.
The results reveal that "school-based education programs" are the top priority due to their long-term effectiveness in changing behaviors and transferring knowledge to families. "Public education campaigns" and "technology-based education programs" rank second and third, respectively, with the latter facing challenges such as infrastructure limitations. "Training for government and private sector employees" was ranked last, given its limited target audience and relatively lower impact.
Originality/Value:
This study fills the gap between theoretical research and practical application by presenting a systematic framework for prioritizing educational strategies. The findings provide policymakers with actionable insights to design cost-effective and impactful educational programs to achieve sustainable water resource management.