HOUSEHOLD WATER USE: TECHNOLOGICAL SHIFTS AND CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS¹

Abstract

A study was undertaken to determine the effect of water intensive appliances or activities on household water consumption. Activities included in the study were use of the washing machine, dishwasher, swimming pool, and lawn watering. In the majority of cases these activities increased per capita consumption and were statistically significant. Households included in the study were not familiar with water saving devices available in the retail market. Even if tehse appliances were purchased, private economic benefits to the household would be low due to the inexpensive water charges levied. However, aggregate community benefits could be large if new well drilling cost or increase in storage facilities could be avoided. In order to avoid these increased costs, regulation or subsidy programs may be the most efficient policy alternatives available to the communities. Subsidies and regulation could potentially decrease water use and offer alternatives to increasing the water supply.

Domestic water conservation potential in Saudi Arabia

“…Other important areas of water use include washing machines, and sinks, dish washers, and garbage disposals, which use about 15% and 5%, respectively, of total household water. Landscaping and recreation comprise the remaining 30%-40% of overall use (Brandes 1978, Clouser, 1980, Flack 1981, Ghazi 1982, Noori 1983.…”

“…Some socioeconomic and water conservation models (Walski 1985, Fletcher and Sharpe 1978, Blatchley 1982, Clouser 1980, Blackwelder and Carlson 1983, Siegrist 1983 for studying the impact and effectiveness of water conservation devices and measures were developed in studying the local conditions. Factors such as the average price paid by the user per volume of water used, number of family members residing in the household, number of bathrooms in the household, household knowledge of water-saving devices, total household income, and water-intensive appliances or activities taking place in the home are used in these models to project the water use as well as the effectiveness of the water conservation measures.…”

Understanding urban residential water use in Beijing and Tianjin, China

“…Many factors affect residential water demand. Both empirical investigations and analytical studies of industrialized countries suggest several determinants of RWU: policy variables, such as water price or water rate; household economic variables, such as income; physical features and technological variables, such as water amenities and metering, or water-saving plumbing fixtures; environmental variables, such as temperature and precipitation; and demographic variables, such as household size and attitudinal variables (Howe & Linaweaver, 1967;Lee, 1969;Grima, 1972;Katzman, 1977;Holtz & Sebastin, 1978;Danielson, 1979;Clouster & Miller, 1980;Hanke & de Mar! e, 1982;Jones, Boland, Crews, DeKay, & Morris, 1984;Vickers, 1991;Baumann, Boland, & Hanemann, 1998).…”

Decadal review of residential water demand analysis from a practical perspective

“…Examining the effect of household appliances on water demand, Clouser & Miller (1980) added binary variables representing a dishwasher and washing machine to their model. By the 1980s most U.S. homes already had automatic clothes washers and dishwashers and older appliances were being replaced with more water efficient machines such as low flush toilets.…”