Impacts of COVID-19 social distancing policies on water demand: A population dynamics perspective. (15th January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bakchan, Amal; Roy, Arkajyoti; Faust, Kasey M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 302:Part A(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01-15
• Subjects: Water demand -- Socio-technical infrastructure systems -- Pandemic -- Population dynamics -- Operating environment -- Regression analysis; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113949
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: Social distancing policies (SDPs) implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to temporal and spatial shifts in water demand across cities. Water utilities need to understand these demand shifts to respond to potential operational and water-quality issues. Aided by a fixed-effects model of citywide water demand in Austin, Texas, we explore the impacts of various SDPs (e.g., time after the stay home-work safe order, reopening phases) using daily demand data gathered between 2013 and 2020. Our approach uses socio-technical determinants (e.g., climate, water conservation policy) with SDPs to model water demand, while accounting for spatial and temporal effects (e.g., geographic variations, weekday patterns). Results indicate shifts in behavior of residential and nonresidential demands that offset the change at the system scale, demonstrating a spatial redistribution of water demand after the stay home-work safe order. Our results show that some phases of Texas's reopening phases had statistically significant relationships to water demand. While this yielded only marginal net effects on overall demand, it underscores behavioral changes in demand at sub-system spatial scales. Our discussions shed light on SDPs' impacts on water demand. Equipped with our empirical findings, utilities can respond to potential vulnerabilities in their systems, such as water-quality problems that may be related to changes in water pressure in response to demand variations. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Temporal and spatial shifts in water demand across cities due to COVID-19 social distancing policies (SDPs). Value of understanding demand shifts to respond to potential operational and water-quality issues. Pandemic-induced SDPs framed as a form of population dynamics. Changes in water demand during COVID-19 pandemic examined at the system scale. Empirical understanding of socio-technical water infrastructure's operating environment.