The Impact of Demographic Factors, Beliefs, and Social Influences on Residential Water Consumption and Implications for Non-Price Policies in Urban India

Water

Rohit Goyal¹  Elizabeth Ramsey²  Emily Zechman Berglund² 

[1] Department of Civil Engineering, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur-302017, Rajasthan, India;Sociotechnical Systems Analysis Laboratory, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, C.B. 7908, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA;

关键词: residential water consumption;    water conservation;    water scarcity;    water demand management;    non-price policies;    socio-hydrology;    household survey;    social norms;    South Asia;    India;   

DOI  :  10.3390/w9110844

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

In rapidly growing urban areas in India and the developing world, water demands typically exceed supply. While local governments may implement management programs to reduce demand for freshwater, water savings are dependent on the conservation behaviors of individuals. A household survey is presented here to examine residential water end uses and conservation behaviors in Jaipur, India. The survey explores end uses, engagement in conservation behaviors, and the influence of demographic factors, water sources, beliefs about water, and social pressures on these behaviors are tested. The survey was conducted at 248 households, including 29 households in the slums. Our study finds that while the majority of participants recognize the importance of water conservation, they do not necessarily conserve water themselves. Households report engaging most frequently in water-conservation behaviors that require little effort or financial investment. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) results and subsequent pairwise comparisons indicate higher incomes, longer water-supply durations, and the belief that droughts are preventable are positively correlated with overall amenability to adoption of water-conservation behaviors and technology. Binomial logistic regression analysis indicates that being in the age group 26–35, having higher income, and giving a neutral response about the responsibility of the government to provide relief during a drought were all predictors of the installation of dual-flush (DF) toilets. Education levels and water awareness were found to have no correlation with conservation behaviors or amenability to conservation technology adoption. Results are applied to examine their possible implications from a demand-management perspective and provide suggestions for further research and policy decisions.

【 授权许可】

Unknown