scholarly journals How managers can reduce household water use through communication: A field experiment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Hodges ◽  
Colin Kuehl ◽  
Sarah E. Anderson ◽  
Phillip John Ehret ◽  
Cameron Brick
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
High Water ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Residential Water Use ◽  
Household Water ◽  
Average Water ◽  
Water District ◽  
Residential Water

As populations increase and droughts intensify, water providers are using tools such as persuasive messaging to decrease residential water use. However, district-led messaging campaigns are rarely informed by psychological science, evaluated for effectiveness, or strategically disseminated. In collaboration with a water district, we report a field experiment among single-family households using persuasive messaging based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills model (IMB). We randomly assigned 10,000 households to receive different mailings and measured household water use. All messaging reduced water consumption relative to the control. On average, water use dropped 0.68 HCF (509 gallons) per household in the first month. Had all 10,000 single-family, occupied, non-agricultural residences been mailed the IMB messaging, more than 5 million gallons would have been saved in the first month. The effects declined but persisted for approximately three months and were three to six times greater in households with high water use (75th-90th percentiles) relative to average water use. These findings suggest that combining message elements from the IMB model can reduce residential water use and that targeting high-use households is particularly cost-effective.

Patterns and controlling factors of residential water use in Los Angeles, California

Water Policy ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1054-1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Mini ◽  
T. S. Hogue ◽  
S. Pincetl
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Water Use ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Pricing ◽  
Controlling Factors ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Residential Water Use ◽  
Tier 1 ◽  
Household Water ◽  
Residential Water

The current study evaluates residential water use patterns and driving factors across Los Angeles, California. Ten years of monthly residential water data were obtained from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Socio-economic, vegetation characteristics, climate, and water pricing data were utilized to develop a statistical model to determine controlling factors of single-family residential water use. Key drivers were found to be household income, landscape greenness, water pricing, household volume allocation, precipitation and temperature. Results show that low water users are less sensitive to climate variability than high water users, likely because these customers have reduced outdoor water use. In the lower income group, average household size is a predictor for household water consumption, which increases with more residents. Lower water users are also more sensitive to changes in their first level household water allocation (Tier 1). However, low, medium and high water users all respond more to changes in the Tier 1 rate than the Tier 2 rate, and generally reduce consumption if this block rate is increased.

Determinants of single family residential water use across scales in four western US cities

2017 ◽  
Vol 596-597 ◽  
pp. 451-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heejun Chang ◽  
Matthew Ryan Bonnette ◽  
Philip Stoker ◽  
Britt Crow-Miller ◽  
Elizabeth Wentz
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Residential Water Use ◽  
Western Us ◽  
Us Cities ◽  
Residential Water

scholarly journals Advances in the Economic Analysis of Residential Water Use: An Introduction

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Reynaud ◽  
Giulia Romano
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Water Price ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Residential Water Demand ◽  
Residential Water Use ◽  
Household Water ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Residential Water

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather evidence on the impact of price policies (PP) and non-price policies (NPP) in shaping residential water use in a context of increased water scarcity. Indeed, a large body of the empirical economic literature on residential water demand has been devoted to measuring the impact of PP (water price increases, use of block rate pricing or peak pricing, etc.). The consensus is that the residential water demand is inelastic with respect to water price, but not perfectly. Given the low water price elasticity, pricing schemes may not always be effective tools for modifying household water behaviors. This is puzzling since increasing the water price is still viewed by public authorities as the most direct economic tool for inducing water conservation behaviors. Additional evidence regarding the use of PP in shaping residential water use is then required. More recently, it has been argued that residential consumers may react to NPP, such as water conservation programs, education campaigns, or smart metering. NPP are based on the idea that residential water users can implement strategies that will result in water savings via changing their individual behaviors. Feedback information based on smart water metering is an example of approach used by some water utilities. There are still large gaps in the knowledge on the residential water demand, and in particular on the impact of PP and NPP on residential water use, household water affordability and water service performance. These topics are addressed in this Special Issue “Advances in the Economic Analysis of Residential Water Use”.

scholarly journals Heterogeneity and Temporal Stability of Residential Water Use Responsiveness to Price Change

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 2329
Author(s):  
Masayoshi Tanishita ◽  
Daisuke Sunaga
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Price Elasticity ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Price Change ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
High Water ◽  
Residential Water Use ◽  
Disaggregated Data ◽  
Residential Water

Many papers estimate the price elasticity of water demand. However, heterogeneity and temporal variation of price elasticity of residential water use are still unclear. We analyze these issues by applying the latent class analysis and t-test using disaggregated data of approximately 30,000 households recorded over five years: Two years before and three years after a tariff revision. As a result, the households are divided into three (heterogeneous) groups: About 5% of them responded to the price change sensitively, 40–60% slightly, and 35–55% not at all. Households with high water use prior to the revision had higher price elasticity. In addition, the price elasticity in the first and third years after the revision was the same.

The implications of climate change on residential water use: a micro-scale analysis of Portland (OR), USA

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Shandas ◽  
Meenakshi Rao ◽  
Moriah McSharry McGrath
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Metropolitan Region ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Residential Water Use ◽  
Residential Water

Social and behavioral research is crucial for securing environmental sustainability and improving human living environments. Although the majority of people now live in urban areas, we have limited empirical evidence of the anticipated behavioral response to climate change. Using empirical data on daily household residential water use and temperature, our research examines the implications of future climate conditions on water conservation behavior in 501 households within the Portland (OR) metropolitan region. We ask whether and how much change in ambient temperatures impact residential household water use, while controlling for taxlot characteristics. Based on our results, we develop a spatially explicit description about the changes in future water use for the study region using a downscaled future climate scenario. The results suggest that behavioral responses are mediated by an interaction of household structural attributes, and magnitude and temporal variability of weather parameters. These findings have implications for the way natural resource managers and planning bureaus prepare for and adapt to future consequences of climate change.

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