Residential Water Demand Management: Lessons from Aurora, Colorado¹

Abstract

Residential water demand is a function of several factors, some of which are within the control of water utilities (e.g., price, water restrictions, rebate programs) and some of which are not (e.g., climate and weather, demographic characteristics). In this study of Aurora, Colorado, factors influencing residential water demand are reviewed during a turbulent drought period (2000‐2005). Findings expand the understanding of residential demand in at least three salient ways: first, by documenting that pricing and outdoor water restriction policies interact with each other ensuring that total water savings are not additive of each program operating independently; second, by showing that the effectiveness of pricing and restrictions policies varies among different classes of customers (i.e., low, middle, and high volume water users) and between predrought and drought periods; and third, in demonstrating that real‐time information about consumptive use (via the Water Smart Reader) helps customers reach water‐use targets.

Household Adoption of Water-Efficient Equipment: The Role of Socio-Economic Factors, Environmental Attitudes and Policy

“…Kenney et al (2008) provide more recent evidence of the impact of rebate programs for the installation of water-efficient devices. In an analysis of household data from Colorado over the period 1997-2005, they show that rebates to indoor water-efficient equipment, such as low-flow toilets and water-efficient washing machines, reduced household water demand by 10%.…”

“…Furthermore, Kenney et al (2008) found that the introduction of Water Smart Readers, that give real-time feedback on water consumption, tended to increase households' water consumption. They explain this unexpected result by the presence of block pricing and that the continuous feedback enabled the households to adjust their water consumption so as to take full advantage of the lower priced blocks, whereas earlier they had to use a safety margin to be sure not to enter into the higher priced block interval.…”

“…Exceptions are Renwick and Archibald (1998) and Renwick and Green (2000) that analyze data on California's experience with such policies during severe drought episodes at the end of the eighties, Campbell, Johnson and Hunt Larsen (2004) on DSM policies in Arizona, and Kenney et al (2008) on household data from Colorado.…”

Epistemic uncertainties and natural hazard risk assessment. 1. A review of different natural hazard areas

“…Sci. weather may increase demand in the short-term, it is not clear which climatic variables are best suited to explain water consumption patterns (Kenney et al, 2008). Over larger spatial and temporal scales, changes in water demand are difficult to project and add a level of epistemic uncertainty to any water resources planning decision.…”

“…Those responding to or 30 managing water resources during drought will make use of nearby water resources or stored water, thus actively intervening to influence the development and consequences of the event (Van Loon et al, 2016a). For instance, epistemic uncertainties arise from incomplete knowledge of how demand responds during times of drought to both environmental conditions (weather) and management actions (i.e., water use restrictions, price increases) (Kenney et al, 2008). Although hot/dry Nat.…”