Integrative Decision-Making Models for Sustainable Urban Water Governance: The Case of Yerevan City

Sustainable urban water governance in rapidly transforming cities requires integrative decision-making frameworks capable of balancing social equity, economic efficiency, and environmental resilience. This study develops a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model designed to support policy optimization for sustainable water management in Yerevan City, Armenia. Building upon prior AI- and GIS-based diagnostics, the proposed framework integrates quantitative indicators of social participation, economic cost-efficiency, and ecological performance into a unified analytical structure. Using AHP–TOPSIS weighting and scenario analysis, the study evaluates alternative policy strategies such as leakage reduction, demand management, and decentralized reuse systems. Results reveal the trade-offs and synergies among sustainability dimensions, highlighting that equity-prioritized weighting schemes enhance social outcomes without significantly compromising economic performance. The Yerevan case demonstrates how adaptive, data-informed governance models can strengthen resilience, improve resource allocation, and guide policy under uncertainty. The framework contributes to advancing decision science in urban water management and offers transferable insights for mid-income cities facing institutional and environmental constraints.