A comprehensive evaluation of private sector investment decisions for sustainable water supply systems using a fuzzy-analytic hierarchy process: A case study of Ha Nam province in Vietnam

This study examined the factors that affect the private sectors' willingness to invest in rural water supply. The study applied a mixed methods approach, including an overview of relevant studies, expert consultation, exploratory factor analysis using SPSS software, and a fuzzy-analytic hierarchy process to identify and evaluate the factors applicable to Ha Nam province in Vietnam. Some factors were distinguished that are significant to private investors’ rural water supply investment decisions, including tax incentive policy, policies to support preferred access to loans and credit, a state risk-sharing mechanism, a mechanism to adjust water price, community support, high community demand for clean water, and input water quality. In addition, the study constructed an investment attractiveness index to evaluate the attractiveness of private sector investment for two typical rural water supply projects in Ha Nam province. This index can be used as a basis for the government to design appropriate incentives to attract investment from private investors and construct an investment attractiveness map.