Application of Data Envelopment Analysis in Assessment of Water Resources Utilization Benefit

The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which is a linear programming technique, was used to determine the relative efficiency of a decision-making unit to assessment of water resources utilization benefit in China. This paper considered four inputs: industry water, agriculture water, life water and ecology water consumption, and four outputs, value-added of industry, primary industry, secondary industry and gross domestic product based on the two basic DEA models i.e. CCR model and BCC model. The results of DEA 65% of China's 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities were ineffective, suggesting that inputs and outputs of water resources in these regions were not in the best condition, and should improve water resources efficiency. The results may provide some references to investigate efficient water resources utilization districts.