A composite indicator index as a proxy for measuring the quality of water supply as perceived by users for urban water services

Abstract

The objective of this study is to develop a composite indicator (CI) to measure the quality of water supply based on the variables that are considered to affect users’ perceptions of water supply quality. The proposed CI includes six relevant aspects that determine users’ perceptions of water supply quality (network quality, water quality, water price, complaints, inconvenience caused by upgrading the network, and continuity of service) in a simple, economical, and objective way, using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) with weights based on data envelopment analysis (DEA). The CI was applied to 32 municipalities in the metropolitan area of Valencia (Spain). The results show the high quality of the water supply service in this area. The use of this CI to measure the quality of the water supply service may prove useful for public institutions and managers of urban water supply, giving them an instrument to improve the management, efficiency, and quality of the water services they provide.