Rural water sustainability index (RWSI): an innovative multicriteria and participative approach for rural communities

This paper proposes a Rural Water Sustainability Index (RWSI). Using this tool, decision-makers can identify and prioritize locations that require state intervention to develop strategies and guarantee water to rural communities. Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and Geographical Information System (GIS) were combined to integrate different indicators into the assessment and generate maps showing spatial levels of water sustainability in rural communities. RWSI was applied on a case study in 26 rural communities in the municipality of Pombal, Paraíba, Brazil. We realized 165 interviews with those living in rural communities. Consultation with experts was conducted using the Delphi method to assign weights and scores to the components, subcomponents, and indicators. The results illustrated a heterogeneous spatial behavior between rural communities of the municipality of Pombal, even though the index values for the majority (57.7%) of communities ranged from 5.8 to 6.0. For application in other countries and regions, researchers need to conduct public and expert consultation to adjust weight of components and subcomponents, and then the RWSI method can estimate water sustainability and produce maps anywhere in the world.