Application of Water Poverty Index in Spatial Analysis of Water Stress in Sistan Region

According to statistics, Sistan region is one of the arid and low water areas. And the issue of water shortage and drought is one of the crises that threaten the Sisan region in the near future. Water and poverty are closely linked, so a strong assessment of water stress is essential to identify areas in need and develop appropriate interventions to reduce poverty. The Water Poverty Index (WPI) is a tool for assessing water stress by linking physical estimates of available water levels with socioeconomic incentives for poverty. It is also a comprehensive tool for managing and evaluating water resources. This study presents the application of water poverty index (WPI) to estimate and compare water stress levels in 5 cities of Sistan region in 2021-2022. The results of the study show that the average poverty index in the cities of Sistan region in the same weight condition is 0.48 and, in the weight, according to AHP method is 0.43. The water poverty index varies from 0.60 to 0.23 among the cities of Sistan. hirmand city has more water stress compared to other cities. In order to deal with water poverty in Sistan region, management and optimal use of water resources, especially in drought conditions, is very important.