Water resource utilization efficiency and driving factors in northern Anhui (China) based on the DEA-Malmquist model

Based on the DEA-Malmquist method, this study analyzes water resource utilization efficiency in six cities of the northern Anhui region. The input indicators covered per capita water resources, industrial water consumption, agricultural water consumption, domestic water consumption, fixed assets investment, and number of employees. The output indicator was per capita GDP of each city. The findings of the study revealed that only Huaibei achieved efficiency according to the DEA model, while the other cities in the northern Anhui region did not exhibit the same level of efficiency. The overall water resource utilization efficiency in the region was low, with significant variations among the cities (p ≤ 0.05; ANOVA test). The order of water resource utilization efficiency from high to low was Huaibei, Huainan, Bengbu, Bozhou, Suzhou, and Fuyang. An analysis of investment redundancy revealed that a large number of employees and an unreasonable water use structure were key factors that restricted the efficiency of water resource utilization in the region. The overall TFP index of water resource utilization efficiency in the region showed an upward trend, with a value of 1.02. By addressing them, decision-makers can work toward promoting sustainable economic development and effective water resource management in the region.