Evaluation of Water Resources Utilization Efficiency in Guangdong Province Based on the DEA–Malmquist Model

Abstract

In this study, we examined the temporal and spatial trends of water utilization efficiency in the highly developed Guangdong Province based on a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model and Malmquist index, trying to evaluate and predict the water utilization status in prefecture-level cities from the input–output perspective. The results showed that the water utilization efficiency in Guangdong Province in 2012–2018 was on a fluctuating upward trend, although the utilization efficiency had not reached the DEA efficiency; spatially, the water utilization efficiency in Guangdong Province was relatively high in the Pearl River Delta and the surrounding cities, but low in the Western Guangdong region; in the perspective of efficiency decomposition factors, technological change was the most pervasive driving force of the water utilization efficiency. Pearl River Delta and Northern Guangdong made progress in productivity due to the advantages of scale expansion benefit. Eastern Guangdong achieved improvement in all-over parameters and made the largest growth in water utilization efficiency, while Western Guangdong basically profited from organizational management during the study period; the prediction analysis revealed a continuous increase in the water utilization efficiency in Guangdong Province during 2019–2025 with an average annual growth rate of about 0.6%, benefiting mainly from the technological innovation and secondly from management renewal, while scale expansion benefit tended to decline. Furthermore, spatial heterogeneity exhibited a decreasing tendency in the future owing to the rapid water utilization efficiency increase in the Western and Eastern Guangdong. It is suggested that the technological innovation and the integrated management capability in water use should be paid more attention to enhance the water utilization efficiency in Guangdong Province. Achieving a balance between economic growth and water resource protection, and promoting the sustainable development of the nature-economy-society compound system is of the utmost priority in Guangdong.

Impact of “Three Red Lines” Water Policy (2011) on Water Usage Efficiency, Production Technology Heterogeneity, and Determinant of Water Productivity Change in China

“…Therefore, to further enhance MLI growth, all three regions need to increase their EC by increasing efficiency through best management practices and operational strategies in the water conversion process. Our results are backed by studies that elaborate on the importance of EC in MLI growth [ 64 , 65 ]. Beijing, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Shaanxi, and Chongqing are the only five provinces in all three regions whose EC is greater than 1.…”

The Spatial-Temporal Matching Characteristics of Water Resources and Socio-Economic Development Factors: A Case Study of Guangdong Province

“…Strictly controlling the water consuming industry, improving water saving technology, and promoting scientific and research investment in professional treatment techniques should be adopted to effectively mitigate the wastewater problem. Additionally, although the water utilization efficiency has been increasing in the last decade, the treated and reclaimed water is mainly used for recharging the water environment, while the industrial and municipal use is supposed to be upgraded [28,29].…”

“…As shown in the results, the spatial equilibrium of water consumption is much more robust than the water amount. This is mainly because the potential of water consumption stemmed from the higher water use efficiency and improved technique of water application [28]. The water resource amount, however, is relatively spatially stable.…”

Impact of Climate Change on the Spatio-Temporal Variation in Groundwater Storage in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area

“…The observed SM was used for the top 100 cm (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, and 100 cm). The first nine soil layers (1,4,9,16,26,40,58,80, and 106 cm) of the simulated SM were interpolated to the SM at the corresponding observed depth. The weighted averages of the observed and simulated SMs for the top 100 cm were then calculated and compared.…”

“…Given economic and social development and population growth, the distribution of social-economic productivity does not match the allocation of water resources. Many cities in the GBA face severe water shortage, with the per capita water resources (the average amount of available water per person) below the threshold for severe water shortage (500 m 3 ) in populated areas [3], such as Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Guangzhou [4]. The massive discharge of waste water also leads to water shortages caused by pollution [3,5,6], further reducing water resource availability.…”