A Holistic Approach to Multi-criteria Decision-Making for Selecting the Sustainable Groundwater Source Protection Management Plan

Dragoljub Bajić (), Dragan Pamučar (), Milica Stepanović and Dušan Polomčić
Additional contact information
Dragoljub Bajić: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology
Dragan Pamučar: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
Milica Stepanović: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology
Dušan Polomčić: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2025, vol. 39, issue 15, No 11, 8102 pages

Abstract: Abstract Preserving groundwater quality is crucial for sustainable water supply, especially in light of the increasing water demand. This research aimed to select the optimal groundwater source protection plan for the new “Jagodica” source (Serbia) against potential contamination, using multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. Potential groundwater pollutants at this site include oil and gas extraction wells, which are part of the infrastructure of the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS). During the research, numerical modelling data were first used to determine the general direction of groundwater flow and to identify critical locations where potential pollutants could threaten the natural water quality. Based on the results of hydrodynamic forecast simulations, three groundwater source protection management plans were defined for the highest risk scenario (during maximum surface water levels): drainage wells, a waterproof screen, and a drainage canal. To select the optimal plan, a multi-criteria analysis was applied within a rough numbers environment. Criteria weights were determined using the Level Based Weight Assessment (LBWA) method, while ranking was conducted using a new MCDM method - ranking of alternatives through functional mapping of criterion subintervals into a single interval (RAFSI method). Validation of the results included comparison with other rough MCDM methodologies, variations of the Bonferroni operator, and sensitivity analysis of the most influential criterion. The presented approach, which integrates hydrodynamic modelling results with advanced MCDM methods, represents an effective decision-making tool for managing groundwater pollution risks and can be applied to other locations with similar characteristics.

Keywords: LBWA; RAFSI; Multi-criteria; Decision making; Criteria weights (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11269-025-04331-2 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:waterr:v:39:y:2025:i:15:d:10.1007_s11269-025-04331-2

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/11269

DOI: 10.1007/s11269-025-04331-2

Access Statistics for this article

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA) is currently edited by G. Tsakiris

More articles in Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA) from Springer, European Water Resources Association (EWRA)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().