Development of a multicriteria model for crises in urban water supply and its application to the case of Brasilia, Brazil.

This article focuses on the development and application of a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) tool, called UWC-MCDA, designed to assist in selecting and prioritizing solution alternatives for urban water supply crisis (UWC) cases, where water consumption exceeds supply capacity. The tool integrates three established MCDA methods—PROMETHEE II, TOPSIS, and ELECTRE III—along with a Consensus ranking method to achieve participatory and cooperative decision-making. Applied to the Administrative Region of Brasilia in Brazil, the UWC-MCDA identified consumption regulation, strengthening of water service operators, and good water conservation practices as the highest-priority solutions, reflecting the preferences of diverse stakeholders. Sensitivity analysis showed the tool's robustness, and the study highlights the advantage of combining multiple MCDA methods with consensus to address complex, multidimensional water management challenges.