Dynamic Model of a Sustainable Water Resources Utilization System with Coupled Water Quality and Quantity in Tianjin City

Yutong Tian, Chunhui Li, Yujun Yi, Xuan Wang and Anping Shu
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Yutong Tian: Key Lab of Water and Sediment Science of the Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Chunhui Li: Key Lab of Water and Sediment Science of the Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Yujun Yi: Key Lab of Water and Sediment Science of the Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Xuan Wang: Key Lab of Water and Sediment Science of the Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Anping Shu: Key Lab of Water and Sediment Science of the Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: With the development of industrial and agricultural production and the social economy, the demand for water resources has gradually increased. In this paper, based on the principles of system dynamics, a sustainable water resources utilization model with coupled water quality and quantity is established using STELLA software to assess the sustainable use of water resources. The model includes two modules: a water supply module and a water quality module. The water supply module includes four sub-systems: economy, population, water supply, and water demand. The water quality module consists of an environmental sub-system. The model is suitable for Tianjin, where water resources are scarce. Calibration is performed using data from 2013–2016, and verification is performed using data from 2017. The simulation results are good. In order to compare the sustainable use of water resources in different development scenarios in Tianjin for 2025, a sensitivity analysis is performed for each variable, and four decision variables are selected to establish four water resources use scenarios (Scenarios 1–4). The results show that, compared with scenario 1, water shortages in scenarios 2 and 3 are delayed. Scenario 4, with stable economic growth and environmental consideration, can effectively resolve the contradiction between water supply and demand in the future, and is more conducive to the improvement of water quality. Finally, based on the above research, measures to solve water resources problems are proposed, in order to provide a reference for the sustainable use of water resources and optimization of water resources allocation in Tianjin.

Keywords: system dynamics; water resources; sustainable use; Tianjin; water quantity and quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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