Intrastate differences in residential water demand

Abstract

To date, the results of studies which attempted to estimate residential water demand models have varied, but the source of these variations is not evident because the studies have applied different methodologies and data bases to different regions. The purpose of this paper is to develop models of residential water demand for watershed regions and test the null hypothesis that a single model is adequate to explain variations for all of the individual regions. Primary data collected from questionnaires and utility company records is used in a regression analysis to estimate a generalized water demand model for the state as well as one for each of the subregions. The null hypothesis is rejected which indicates that there are other factors which influence the demand for water and the use of a single model could result in biased estimates.

Pricing for scarcity? An efficiency analysis of increasing block tariffs

“…Finally, the negative (and significant for some functional forms) coefficient for qual supports the view that consumers are aware of tap water quality and do decrease their consumption when they consider it inadequate, perhaps turning to bottled water, private boreholes and wells, or public fountains for their drinking and cooking water needs. This finding adds to the evidence of Ford and Ziegler [1981], who presented the only other study we are aware of that included delivered water quality as an explanatory factor for residential water demand.…”