Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Economics and Agricultural Development, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
2
Department of Water, Faculty of Civil, Water and Environmental Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/iwrr.2024.425044.2716
Abstract
In today's world, where more than half of its population reside in cities and economic activities are largely concentrated in urban areas, having access to a desirable level of urban water supply and sewage infrastructures is essential for the socioeconomic growth and preventing the occurrence of many diseases and health problems. The condition of urban water supply and sewage infrastructure in Iran has not been comprehensively evaluated so far, and this gap has led to a lack of accurate knowledge of the status of these infrastructures and their different aspects in various regions of Iran. In this study, a non-parametric modification of data envelopment analysis was used to construct a composite index for evaluating the status of urban water and sewage infrastructure for all provinces of Iran between 2011 to 2021, and by using random effects models, the factors affecting it were evaluated. Based on the results of this study, central provinces of Iran like Isfahan, Yazd, and Semnan mostly have a favourable situation regarding the mentioned infrastructure, while some relatively deprived provinces such as Golestan and Sistan-Baluchestan along with some economic and population centers namely Khuzestan, Bushehr, and Fars are among the provinces that have a lower status regarding the mentioned infrastructure. According to the result of the random effects model, the two factors of urbanization and the actual public expenditures are the most important drivers of improving urban water supply and sewage infrastructures, while urban population density is the main factor in deterioration of this infrastructure status.
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