Household water use: a Portuguese field study

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 193-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Vieira ◽  
M. do C. Almeida ◽  
J.M. Baptista ◽  
R. Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Field Study ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Household Water ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Definition Of

Household water use structure can vary significantly depending on several factors like personal habits, socio-economic, cultural and climatic conditions. In the absence of Portuguese data on domestic water consumption, a field study was carried out in order to obtain information that could help support the definition of water conservation measures within the scope of the Portuguese National Program for the Efficient Use of Water. The paper describes the methodology and results obtained in this study, which involved approximately 100 participants that made a characterization of their appliances and detailed recordings of all water uses. Results allowed for the determination of average values of usage duration and frequency for each appliance, total volume consumed per water appliance and per capita water consumption. In terms of consumption structure, it was found that showering and bathing were the main components (36±13%) followed by taps (29±10%) and toilet flushing (21±7%).

How Trust and Risk Perception Affect Household Water Use

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Yu Wang ◽  
Xiaofeng Liu
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Recycled Water ◽  
Household Water

Household water use accounts for an important portion of water consumption. Notably, different households may behave differently regarding how water is used in everyday life. Trust and risk perception are two significant psychological factors that influence water use behavior in households. Since trust and risk perception are malleable and subject to construction, they are useful for developing effective demand management strategies and water conservation policies. The concepts of trust and risk perception are multidimensional and interconnected. Risk perception varies across social groups and is often shaped by subjective feelings toward a variety of activities, events, and technologies. Risk perception is also mediated by trust, which involves a positive expectation of an individual, an organization, and/or an institution that derives from complex processes, characteristics, and competence. Likewise, different social groups’ trust in various entities involved in household water use is subject to the significant and far-reaching impact of risk perception. The complexity of the two notions poses challenges to the measurement and exploration of their effects on household water use. In many cases, risk perception and trust can influence people’s acceptance of water sources (e.g., tap water, bottled water, recycled water, and desalinated water) and their conservation behavior (e.g., installing water-saving technologies and reducing water consumption) in household water use. Trust can affect household water use indirectly through its influence on risk perception. Moreover, trust and risk perception in household water use are neither given nor fixed; rather, they are dynamically determined by external, internal, and informational factors. A coherent, stable, transparent, and fair social and institutional structure is conducive to building trust. However, trust and risk perception differ among groups with diverse household and/or individual demographic, economic, social, and cultural characteristics. Direct information from personal experiences and, more importantly, indirect information from one’s social network, as well as from mass media and social media, play an increasingly important role in the formation and evolution of trust and risk perception, bringing a profound impact on household water use in an era of information. Future directions lie in new dynamics of risk perception and trust in the era of information explosion, the coevolution mechanism of risk perception and trust in household water use, the nuanced impacts of different types of risks (e.g., controllable and uncontrollable) on household water use, and the interactive relations of risk perception and trust across geographical contexts.

scholarly journals Barriers and opportunities for behavior change in managing high water demand in water scarce Indigenous communities: an Australian perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 765-773
Author(s):  
Safaa Aldirawi ◽  
Regina Souter ◽  
Cara D. Beal
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Change ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
High Water ◽  
Indigenous Community ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Household Water

Abstract Managing water demand by reducing water consumption and improving water use efficiency has become essential for ensuring water security. This research aimed to identify the primary determinants of household water consumption in an Australian Indigenous community to develop evidence-based water demand management policies and strategies that might be implemented by the water service provider. A behavior change framework was applied to investigate the opportunity, ability, and motivational determinants affecting household water consumption and conservation in an Australian Indigenous community. The lack of water conservation knowledge and skills of high water users could be barriers to saving water. Low water users have positive attitudes towards water conservation and a higher level of awareness about their own water use. While there is a lack of a belief that water shortages will occur, low water users do have concerns of vulnerability to droughts, and that could be a driver for their sense of obligation to engage in water conservation practices. The research recommended communication messages and tools to address identified barriers to enabling positive changes to water use behaviors, which have wider applications in remote Australian Indigenous communities.

scholarly journals A Survey of Household Water Use and Groundwater Quality Index Assessment in a Rural Community of Cambodia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 10071
Author(s):  
Saret Bun ◽  
Sreymao Sek ◽  
Chantha Oeurng ◽  
Manabu Fujii ◽  
Phaly Ham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Quality ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Rural Community ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Household Water ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Groundwater Wells

To propose an efficient system for addressing water scarcity in a rural area through groundwater use, the information on water consumption and interpretation of groundwater quality are essential for estimating the optimal preparation of the comprehensive water system. Hence, this study aimed to estimate the current household domestic water consumption and groundwater quality index of currently accessed wells in a small rural community of Preyveng province, Cambodia as a practical and beneficial as well as a model for the water resource sector in rural areas. The questionnaire survey was designed as the main instrument for collecting the household water use as face-to-face interviews. The result showed that the average daily water consumption in the Preal commune is about 71 L per capita, which is almost two times lower than the minimum water quantity recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), 150 L/day per capita. Moreover, 100% of the households in this commune heavily rely on groundwater wells for domestic water use and more than 50% confirmed that they used raw groundwater as drinking water without a proposer treatment system. Approximately 70% of the people in Preal wishes to have a clean water supply and more than 80% of the household had a positive willingness to pay for clean water supply. In terms of groundwater quality in the Preal commune, it is mainly contaminated by iron, arsenic, fluoride, and manganese, which are mainly associated with human health effects from daily consumption. About 75% of groundwater wells are presented in poor conditions and were unsuitable for drinking purposes. Lastly, the suitable water treatment and supply should be considered in order to reduce the effects on people’s health as well as to improve living conditions.

scholarly journals What roles do smart sensors play in citizens' water use? From the perspective of household water-saving

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kang Tian ◽  
Zhuo Chen
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Water Saving ◽  
Smart Sensors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Behavioural Intervention ◽  
Household Water ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The rapid population growth has led to increasing demand for water resources. Studies have shown that the application of new technologies can effectively influence and promote citizens to save water. The application of smart water sensors can effectively monitor household water consumption and feedback the recorded data to citizens promptly, thereby influencing family members' water-saving attitudes and behaviours. For the widespread use of future water sensors in households, it can demonstrate its essential role in three aspects: water use information feedback to reduce water consumption, water information measurement helps to cultivate water conservation awareness, and water use information release as an effective means of behavioural intervention. This research provides some suggestions for the promotion and use of smart sensors in the home and points out the future research directions for the impact of water sensing on household water-saving behaviour.

scholarly journals Sustainable Water Use Practices: Understanding and Awareness of Masters Level Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 10499
Author(s):  
Dexter V. L. Hunt ◽  
Zeerak Shahab
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Social Practice ◽  
User Behavior ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Environmental Pressures ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Water Use Practices

Present water consumption in the UK is unsustainable, with increasing societal and environmental pressures driving water stress. Personal use of water is a significant contributor to water demand and considering the number of universities and students in the UK the water use practices therein cannot be ignored. Therefore, this paper aims to deepen the theme of water consumption in the United Kingdom from the point of view of use practices for students. The originality in this research lies in better understanding whether UK Masters level students have a basic awareness of personal water consumption and water pricing and whether they have a preferred approach to reducing their water consumption—through a behavioral change, or through adoption of technologies. Through use of a questionnaire approach applied to five cohorts (2017 to 2021) of Masters level students, the level of understanding and awareness towards their own domestic water use both now and in the future was demonstrated. Key findings suggest that Masters students underestimated their water use by 76% compared to the average UK national range and that there was an overall preference to adopt water saving technologies rather than changing user behavior (40% vs. 27%). The study concludes that it is important to approach water conservation from an SPT perspective in order to achieve meaningful change in water use practices. Qualitative and quantitative research is analyzed in light of theoretical models (i.e., Social Practice and Attitude Behavior Framework ABC) in order to make recommendations for greater societal prominence for this issue through media and education.

scholarly journals Analysis and Comprehensive Evaluation of Water Use Efficiency in China

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenge Zhang ◽  
Xianzeng Du ◽  
Anqi Huang ◽  
Huijuan Yin
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Projection Direction ◽  
Domestic Water Consumption ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Per Capita

Proper water use requires its monitoring and evaluation. An indexes system of overall water use efficiency is constructed here that covers water consumption per 10,000 yuan GDP, the coefficient of effective utilization of irrigation water, the water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial value added, domestic water consumption per capita of residents, and the proportion of water function zone in key rivers and lakes complying with water-quality standards and is applied to 31 provinces in China. Efficiency is first evaluated by a projection pursuit cluster model. Multidimensional efficiency data are transformed into a low-dimensional subspace, and the accelerating genetic algorithm then optimizes the projection direction, which determines the overall efficiency index. The index reveals great variety in regional water use, with Tianjin, Beijing, Hebei, and Shandong showing highest efficiency. Shanxi, Liaoning, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Henan, Shanxi, and Gansu also use water with high efficiency. Medium efficiency occurs in Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Hainan, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Low efficiency is found for Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Xinjiang. Tibet is the least efficient. The optimal projection direction is a* = (0.3533, 0.7014, 0.4538, 0.3315, 0.1217), and the degree of influence of agricultural irrigation efficiency, water consumption per industrial profit, water used per gross domestic product (GDP), domestic water consumption per capita of residents, and environmental water quality on the result has decreased in turn. This may aid decision making to improve overall water use efficiency across China.

Aligning theory and measurement in behavioral models of water conservation

Water Policy ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 762-776 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley S. Jorgensen ◽  
John F. Martin ◽  
Meryl W. Pearce ◽  
Eileen M. Willis
Keyword(s):  
Water Consumption ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Habit Strength ◽  
Behavioral Models ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Single Person ◽  
Consumption Data ◽  
Household Water

Discussion in the water literature has called for research on the role of behavioral intentions in explanations of both water demand and water conservation. But previous research has suggested that individual-level motivations are not good predictors of metered household water consumption. Two possible reasons for the lack of association between intentions and actual water conservation are that: (i) conservation behaviors are habitual and (ii) conservation behaviors and intention are measured at different levels of analysis. These explanations were tested in a sample of 415 residential households who provided permission to access their water consumption billing records. The effects of intentions, habit strength, and their interaction were examined in single-person households where the alignment of theory and measurement were the same. While behavioral intentions were associated with self-reports of past water conservation and habit strength, none of these variables were good predictors of water conservation. The implications of these results for the development of attitude theory using metered consumption data are discussed.

Factors influencing water conservation behavior among urban residents in China's arid areas

Water Policy ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 691-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genying Chang
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Theory Of Reasoned Action ◽  
Reasoned Action ◽  
Urban Residents ◽  
Arid Areas ◽  
Conservation Behavior ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Household Water ◽  
Local Water

Insufficient academic attention has been paid to household water conservation behavior in arid and semi-arid areas of developing countries. Based on a questionnaire survey, this study analyzed factors influencing the water conservation behavior of urban residents in Zhangye City in China. Of the two variables addressed in the theory of reasoned action, attitudes toward water conservation had no obvious influence on water conservation behavior, whereas subjective norms did have an influence. Furthermore, general environmental concerns had no direct, significant influence on water conservation behavior. It has been argued that environmental motivational factors have a limited influence on water conservation behavior. The theory of reasoned action may not sufficiently explain domestic water conservation behavior in the study area, where the economy remains underdeveloped. Three contextual factors, beliefs regarding local water resources, incremental water conservation information and attitudes toward frugality, were significantly correlated with water conservation behavior.

scholarly journals DETERMINATION OF SOME AGRONOMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ESSENTIAL OIL VARIATION IN DIFFERENT LOCAL Ocimum basilicum L. ECOTYPES UNDER SEMI-ARID CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 3-15
Author(s):  
Suleyman Kizil ◽  
Ozlem Toncer ◽  
Tahsin Sogut ◽  
Emel Diraz ◽  
Sengul Karaman
Keyword(s):  
Essential Oil ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Methyl Chavicol ◽  
Leaf Yield ◽  
Harvest Data ◽  
Oil Components ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Semi Arid

The study aimed to determine agronomic characteristics and essential oil components of different basil ecotypes in semi-arid climatic conditions of South Eastern Anatolia, Diyarbakir, Turkey. Two-year harvest data about fresh and dry herb yield, dry leaf yield, essential oil content and its components from the plants of year 2015 and 2016 was analyzed in this study. Essential oil components were detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The resulting outcomes demonstrated that both ecotypes and harvests had important effects on fresh and dry herb, dry leaf yield and essential oil contents of sweet basil. The highest dry leaf yield was noted from green leafy ecotypes and from second harvest stage. Twenty-three constituents were detected in the essential oil of O. basilicum ecotypes. The main components of basil essential oil were linalool, methyl chavicol, neral, geranial and methyl cinnamate that differed according to ecotypes and harvests during experimental years 2015 and 2016. Purple leafy basil ecotypes were determined as linalool rich, while greenish leaf ecotypes were abundant in methyl chavicol. Silbe – green ecotype contains higher neral and geranial levels than the other ecotypes. It was concluded that basil plant could be grown successfully and harvested two or more times to prefer for maximum dry leaf yield and essential oil contents under semi-arid climatic conditions.

scholarly journals Analysis of regional features of water consumption structure in the North Caucasus. Part 2. Problems of water use optimization

2021 ◽  
pp. 68-78
Author(s):  
Е.А. Rybak ◽  
◽  
О.О. Rybak ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
Human Needs ◽  
The North ◽  
Regional Features ◽  
Federal Districts ◽  
Quality Water

The use of water for various human needs can be considered as an anthropogenic factor affecting water resources. The amount of water consumption is determined by the size of the population, the level of development and the state of housing and communal services, climatic conditions and other factors. The agricultural sector plays a significant role in the economy of the South and North Caucasian Federal Districts. The increase in agricultural production, especially in the southern drylands, is largely due to its reliable and high-quality water supply. A large share of the agricultural sector in the structure of water use determines that the water turnover coefficient in the region as a whole is much lower than the national one. The analysis of open sources revealed the key problems of water consumption in the region and enabled to identify specific measures for revising its structure.

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