Evaluating the effect of conservation motivations on residential water demand. (1st July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maas, Alexander; Goemans, Christopher; Manning, Dale; Kroll, Stephan; Arabi, Mazdak; Rodriguez-McGoffin, Mariana
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 196(2017)
• Page Start: 394
• Page End: 401
• Publication Date: 2017-07-01
• Subjects: Residential water demand -- Water use motivations -- Water management -- Conservation attitudes; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.03.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: Utilities and water suppliers in the southwestern United States have used education and conservation programs over the past two decades in an attempt to ameliorate the pressures of increasing water scarcity. This paper builds on a long history of water demand and environmental psychology literature and attempts to answer a simple question: do households primarily motivated by environmental and social (E&S) considerations consume water differently than households motivated primarily by cost and convenience (C&C)? We find that E&S consumers use less water than C&C consumers on average. We also find that there is no statistical difference between E&S and C&C consumers in their consumption responses to changing prices, temperature, and precipitation. This implies that targeting future conservation efforts to self-reported consumer groups may not improve policy effectiveness. Highlights: Households motivated by environmental and social concerns consume less water than those motivated by cost and convenience. Price shocks induce identical water use responses from all consumers regardless of motivations for conservation. Weather induces identical water use responses from all consumers regardless of motivations for conservation.