Using Soft Systems Methodology on the Problem of Water Scarcity

Bad water resource management can increase the amount of problems caused by the scarcity. Situations involving water resources generally have many stakeholders who might not understand the complex situation and the decision made on it has outcomes and effect on people that will only be seen over time. Using soft Operational Research as the Problem Structuring Method we can structure a problem and helps the decision maker to have a better understanding. The Soft System Methodology was designed to address complex problematic situations involving human activity dealing with ill-structured scenario. A case study from the Epitácio Pessoa dam is provided as an example of how SSM can be used to understand complex situations and as a problem-solving strategy for water resource scarcity. This paper developed a SSM within the conflict of water resources and identifies that the use of SSM is adequate for the solution of the water scarcity problem.