Simulation and applicability evaluation of providing different grades of water based on household functional needs in urban areas

Providing different grades of water is a promising solution to address the challenges of urban water supply, including water quality, quantity, and energy consumption. However, quantifying the effectiveness of this strategy and understanding its economic, environmental, and social impacts remain significant challenges. This study introduces a simulation-based method to predict household water use and evaluate the applicability and sustainability of the water supply system. A system dynamics model was developed to simulate household water behavior under different water supply scenarios, incorporating different water quality combinations, price mechanisms, and regional population composition. The results were analyzed regarding the optimal water completion degree, user satisfaction, water supply yield, and water volume stability to evaluate the system's applicability. Our findings suggest that scenarios involving simultaneous provision of high-quality and common water are deficient due to overlapping functions. In addition, a dynamic water pricing mechanism can improve user satisfaction and supply stability, especially in the area with a large population. Concurrent supply of high-quality, low-quality, and reclaimed water emerges as an efficient alternative, achieving dual objectives of resource conservation and water quality improvement.