Turning off the tap: Common domestic water conservation actions insufficient to alleviate drought in the United States of America

Abstract

Climate change is exacerbating drought and water stress in several global regions, including some parts of the United States. During times of drought in the U.S., municipal governments, private water suppliers and non-profits commonly deploy advocacy campaigns and incentive programs targeting reductions in residential water use through actions including: repairing leaks, shutting off taps, and installing new water-saving appliances. We asked whether these campaigns have the potential to alleviate water stress during drought at the county scale by estimating the potential impact of full adoption of such actions. In 2010, we show that the maximum potential use reductions from these residential actions may only alleviate water stress in 6% (174) of U.S. counties. The potential impact of domestic programs is limited by the relative dominance of agriculture water withdrawal, the primary water user in 50% of U.S. counties. While residential actions do achieve some water demand savings, they are not sufficient to alter water stress in the majority of the continental U.S. We recommend redirecting advocacy efforts and incentives to individual behaviors that can influence agricultural water use.

Investigating lake drought prevention using a DRL-based method

“…Domestic water reduction scenario (Dom-Sc): The government can reduce the amount of Domestic water by developing public water conservation actions and encouraging plans to reduce urban water consumption or investing in the supply of fresh water from other sources [28]. Some of these strategies are selected and the changes in the lake water level are checked by applying these policies.…”

Resistance to Change and Perceived Risk as Determinants of Water-Saving Intention

“…However, such efforts are not enough [3], and there is a global emphasis on the need to consume less and save more in the face of current and future challenges [4]. While domestic consumption is low, compared to that of agriculture, industry, and services, and "turning off the tap" will not alleviate the problem of scarcity [5], it can be used as a strategy to instill water-saving habits that can then be transferred to other economic sectors.…”