Water Conservation in Urban Households

Water Conservation in Urban Households

On the one hand, population and economic growth are increasing the demand for water but on the other, environmental consequences of climate change, pollution and over extraction of groundwater are decreasing the world’s supply of fresh water. This makes the availability of water for human use one of the greatest global concerns of this century.

This book highlights the importance of using water efficiently in urban households, in both developed and developing cities. Specifically, the book focuses on:

  • the determinants of water conservation behaviour, including psychological factors such as values, beliefs and attitudes, socio-economic factors such as income, water pricing and policies, environmental factors such as seasonal variations and demographic factors such as household size and age;
  • the role of policies such as mandatory water restrictions, labelling of water saving devices and promotion of public awareness;
  • the role of water and wastewater tariff structures in achieving the goals of revenue generation, affordability, demand management and equity and the design of conservation oriented rate structures; and
  • The role of water saving devices in providing technological solutions to household water conservation. In relation to the above issues, the book provides several detailed case studies of cities to understand the effectiveness of such demand management tools and the lessons learnt. Overall, the book aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the various price and non-price tools that can be used to manage domestic water consumption.

The book is a one-stop repository of information on water conservation for academics, practitioners and policy makers. The text can be used for teaching and research on water demand management as well as for professional reference by water utility officials. In addition, the appendix of the book contains a database of the current domestic water and wastewater tariffs and monthly bills of selected cities, which will be helpful for those willing to conduct research in this field.