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Journal Article•DOI•

Quantifying the influence of environmental and water conservation attitudes on household end use water consumption

Rachelle McDonald Willis1, Rodney Anthony Stewart1, Kriengsak Panuwatwanich1, Philip Williams1, Anna L. Hollingsworth •
Griffith University1
01 Aug 2011-Journal of Environmental Management (J Environ Manage)-Vol. 92, Iss: 8, pp 1996-2009
TL;DR: Results indicated that residents with very positive environmental and water conservation attitudes consumed significantly less water in total and across the behaviourally influenced end uses of shower, clothes washer, irrigation and tap, than those with moderately positive attitudinal concern.
About: This article is published in Journal of Environmental Management.The article was published on 2011-08-01 and is currently open access. It has received 349 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Water conservation & Water supply.

Summary (8 min read)

Jump to: [1. Introduction] – [The objectives of this research include:] – [2.1. Water consumption attitudes and behaviour] – [2.1.1. Concern for environment] – [2.1.2. Water conservation awareness and practice] – [2.2 Water end use monitoring] – [[Insert Table 3]] – [2.3 Research propositions] – [etc.).] – [3. Research method] – [3.1. Situational context] – [3.2. Research sample] – [3.3. End use smart metering approach] – [3.4. Questionnaire development and survey] – [4.1. Descriptive statistics] – [[Insert Table 4]] – [4.2. Measurement model assessment] – [4.3 Exploration of clusters] – [4.3.1. Number of clusters and final centroids] – [4.3.2. Interpretation of clusters] – [4.4.2. Clustered water end use consumption] – [4.4.3. Clustered comparative analysis] – [5.1. Overview on water consumption and attitudes] – [5.1.1. Relationship between attitudes and total water consumption] – [5.1.2. Relationship between attitudes and behaviourally influenced end use consumption] – [5.1.3. Relationship between attitudes and nondiscretionary end use consumption] – [5.2. Linking sociodemographic variables with attitudes] and [6. Conclusions and implications]

1. Introduction

  • An escalating demand on potable water resources resulting from increasing populations, droughts and unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change is commonplace in many parts of the world (Bates et al., 2008; Commonwealth of Australia, 2008b) .
  • As a result, the sustainable management of urban water has become imperative, particularly for countries prone to severe droughts such as Australia.
  • The WDM approach relies heavily on consumers to understand how to reduce their water consumption and to apply this understanding to everyday activities to consume sustainably.
  • Empirical studies that quantify the nature of such a relationship are still largely lacking within the current body of knowledge.

The objectives of this research include:

  • Meeting these objectives will enable water professionals to effectively target WDM education and awareness programs, thus yielding higher water savings for such initiatives.
  • Ultimately, research outcomes could be subsequently integrated into national water planning and management strategies to enhance long term WDM practices.
  • The paper presents the theoretical background relevant to understanding the attitudes and behaviours that affect domestic water consumption and conservation.
  • The adopted research method is detailed along with data analysis and results.
  • Key findings are discussed with the paper concluding by deliberating on managerial implications.

2.1. Water consumption attitudes and behaviour

  • Determining motives for saving water are key when designing educational urban water saving strategies; hence at the outset, an understanding of consumption and attitudes towards water is vital (Corral-Verdugo et al., 2003) .
  • To understand the embodiment of people's attitudes and behaviour, and their association with water consumption, Ajzen and Fishbein's (1980) theory of reasoned action was adopted as a point of departure.
  • Ajzen and Fishbein's theory conceptualises the linkages between beliefs, attitudes, perceived social norms and behaviours by building on the expectancy value theory through the incorporation of normative social influence on behavioural intention (Hassell and Cary, 2007) .
  • This theory was employed to assist in the establishment of a baseline model to undertake attitudinal analysis.
  • To better understand and capture the above attitudinal concept, two main factors were identified as having an influence on water consumption from a review of earlier research, being: (1) Concern for Environment (CE); and (2) Water Conservation Awareness and Practice (WC).

2.1.1. Concern for environment

  • The link between general environmental beliefs and conservation behaviour has been detailed by DECC (2007) , Kordiatis et al. (2004) and Corral-Verdugo et al. (2003) .
  • The results supported the hypothesis that general environmental beliefs significantly influence domestic water consumption behaviour when beliefs and behaviours are assessed at a corresponding level of specificity (Corral-Verdugo et al., 2003) .
  • Results indicated that committed environmentalists and main stream environmentalists were most likely to engage in energy and water saving activities regularly.
  • Details of these indicators along with their associated references are presented in Table 1 .
  • These listed elements are refined and confirmed in the latter part of the paper to ensure they are appropriate measurable indicators of the derived environmental concern factor.

2.1.2. Water conservation awareness and practice

  • Water conservation awareness and practice involves understanding the efficiency, opportunities and impacts of certain water saving activities as well as the desire to continually reduce consumption (Nancarrow and Syme, 1989; CSIRO, 2002; Gilg and Barr, 2006; Heinrich, 2007) .
  • Middlestadt et al. (2001) similarly explored the relationship of knowing or having the knowledge on how to conserve water and whether this translated into actual behaviour.
  • The CSIRO (2002) carried out an extensive study in Perth, utilising both diary and end use monitoring methods, to determine attitudes of consumers and water consumption with investigations indicating that attitudinal variables affect external or outdoor water consumption (CSIRO, 2002) .
  • Unfortunately, the link between attitudinal factors and indoor end use water consumption was not reported on.
  • These items are described succinctly in Table 2 , and are assessed in the latter part of the paper to ensure they are appropriate measurable indicators of the derived water conservation and practice factor.

2.2 Water end use monitoring

  • Effective water monitoring techniques are essential for understanding domestic water consumption behaviour (Stewart et al., 2010) .
  • Water consumption studies utilised a diary recording method to establish end water usage.
  • The nominated recorder would also note who carried out the event and the event duration (CSIRO, 2002; Cordell et al., 2003) .
  • The development of smart metering technology has eliminated the error of the older end use recording methods being, diary records, resulting in accurate records of end use water consumption within residential households.
  • Details of the results of the more significant end use studies conducted throughout the world are presented in Table 3 .

[Insert Table 3]

  • Table 3 shows that in the Australia-Pacific region, the highest residential end uses are showers, clothes washing, irrigation, toilet and tap use (Loh and Coghlan, 2003; Roberts, 2005; Heinrich, 2007) .
  • This behavioural shift epitomises the 'Human Exception Paradigm', a belief that humans are above nature and therefore do not have to regard the environment when they consume resources (Bechtel et al., 1999) .
  • Therefore, this research argues that discretionary water end uses should refer to those end use events that are likely to be dependent and influenced by the lifestyle and behaviour of an individual.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) stipulates that basic long term sustainable water consumption for emergencies requires between 40 to 70 litres per person per day (L/p/d) for personal drinking, sanitation and additional activities such as house cleaning, growing food and waste disposal (WHO, 2005) .
  • Based on the core end use categories mentioned above, irrigation, shower, tap, and clothes washing could be considered uses that have a significant discretionary component, and toilet non-discretionary when considering this refined definition of discretionary end uses (i.e. toilets are a fixed consumption end use with limited behavioural influence).

2.3 Research propositions

  • It is evident from the preceding sections that several investigations have established the importance of environmental and water conservation attitudes on consumption behaviour.
  • Most demonstrate that positive attitudes and commitment towards the environment and water conservation result in undertaking sustainable water conservation behaviours which, in turn, results in lower water consumption.
  • Hence, the following research proposition was developed: Proposition 1: Households with higher levels of environmental concern and positive attitudes towards water conservation will have significantly lower levels of total water consumption.
  • In addition, since smart metering techniques allow for the accurate recording of water consumption in specific end use categories, the relationships between behavioural attitudes and various household end uses was further examined.

etc.).

  • There is no significant difference in the consumption of water end uses which have a lower behavioural influence (e.g. toilet flushing), between households that have different levels of environmental concern and attitude towards water conservation, also known as Proposition 2b.
  • These end uses generally have a fixed and/or low water consumption volume per event.
  • The following section presents the research method undertaken to test the above detailed research propositions.

3. Research method

  • The research forms a component of the Gold Coast Watersaver End Use study.
  • This element of the study integrates and compares end use water consumption data and attitudinal questionnaire survey data to obtain an understanding of the influence of attitudes on actual water end use consumption.
  • Two concurrent research activities were carried out being: (1) water end use data collection and analysis, utilising smart metering technologies and flow trace analysis software for event disaggregation, respectively; and (2) the development, application and statistical analysis of an attitudinal and demographic questionnaire survey.

3.1. Situational context

  • Water security is of critical concern in the urbanised South East Queensland (SEQ) region of Australia.
  • In the Gold Coast (population half a million people), residential water consumption accounts for approximately 75% of the City's total supply (2008/2009) compared with 57% in nearby Brisbane City (population 1.8 million people).
  • Drought breaking rainfalls then occurred, which led to all water restriction levels being lifted before the data collection period.
  • Leading up to and during the data collection period, frequent messages on saving water in the home, using 140 L/p/d and rebates programs for installing water efficient devices such as the 'Home Watersaver' were in place.
  • End use data was collected from the sampled single detached households in July 2008.

3.2. Research sample

  • Data collection was undertaken in four suburban regions within the Gold Coast City.
  • These four regions were selected based on their apparent differences in socioeconomic classification.
  • The dates of estate development of all the regions were similar thus ensuring the fixtures and fittings within homes were relatively comparable.
  • As a final note, the useable sample for the purposes of this specific mixed method study was 132, due to the requirement for aligned questionnaire survey responses, as detailed in a later section.

3.3. End use smart metering approach

  • Standard water meters in the Gold Coast study area were exchanged with Actaris CTS-5 high resolution water meters.
  • These meters pulse at 72 counts/litre which accounts to a pulse read every 14mL of water used.
  • Data loggers were set to record data points in ten (10) second intervals.
  • Data were downloaded from data loggers manually with laptops via infrared cables.
  • The acquired end use data were analysed with the Trace Wizard™ software in order to disaggregate flow data into a repository of individual end use water consumption records for each home.

3.4. Questionnaire development and survey

  • In addition to monitoring water end use consumption, demographic and attitudinal surveys were developed and distributed to all the sampled households.
  • The main purpose of the survey was to solicit respondent ratings for the two attitudinal constructs, namely CE and WC, and to obtain an understanding on the demographic characteristics of residential water consumers making up each household.
  • Measurement items contained in the questionnaire evolved from the abovementioned literature review and factor operationalisation process (Tables 1 and 2 ).
  • Postal mail was the method for questionnaire distribution.
  • The head of each household was requested to convene a meeting with other residents, and consultatively respond to the questionnaire items, thus providing a response which was representative of the group.

4.1. Descriptive statistics

  • Of the 151 surveys sent, a total of 132 usable responses were received, representing an effective response rate of 87%.
  • This response rate was high as participants had already consented to being a part of a two year end use study and had their water meters replaced with those of a higher resolution and loggers connected.
  • It should be noted that only the water end use data from these usable 132 survey respondents was used in the subsequent analyses since this was a mixed method study, whereby both a completed questionnaire survey and water end use data was required.
  • The demographic characteristic of survey responses was classified based on household types and socioeconomic areas.
  • The remaining 8% was a mix of households with a single person, share house and family with border.

[Insert Table 4]

  • Based on the data obtained from the 132 survey respondents, descriptive statistical analysis was firstly performed on factor measurement items to examine the mean, standard deviation, as well as the reliability of the measurement scale used in the questionnaire.
  • The Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.91 calculated from the complete set of items indicates a high level of internal consistency (i.e. reliability) of the scale used in the survey (Hair et al., 2006 ).

4.2. Measurement model assessment

  • In addition to assessing the consistency of the scale presented in the preceding section, Confirmatory Factor Analysis was employed to assess the scale's construct validity and unidimensionality.
  • To achieve this, CFA requires an assessment of model fit, and an indication of how well the hypothesised measurement model (i.e. the factors and associated indicators presented in Tables 1 and 2 ) represents the data obtained from the survey.
  • This procedure led to the elimination of items WC3, WC4 and WC5.
  • Furthermore, both factors were shown to have a composite reliability well above 0.60, and average variance extracted being greater than 0.50 (Bagozzi and Yi, 1988) .
  • All of the above results suggested that this final measurement model possesses adequate convergent validity (i.e. all items reliably represented their respective factor), unidimensionality (i.e. all items only represented their respective factor not the other) and discriminant validity (i.e. two factors rather than one).

4.3 Exploration of clusters

  • Once the factor structure had been refined and confirmed by the CFA, all the retained items were used as a basis for determining whether there were any distinct groupings evident in the sample that shared similar patterns of ratings for both the concern for the environment and water conservation awareness and practice factors.
  • To achieve this objective, cluster analysis was adopted.
  • The partitioning stage is the process of determining the number of clusters that may be developed.
  • The interpretation stage is the process of understanding the characteristics of each cluster and developing a name or label that appropriately defines its nature (Hair et al., 2006) .
  • SPSS version 17.0 for Windows was employed to perform the analysis.

4.3.1. Number of clusters and final centroids

  • The hierarchical cluster analysis procedure, incorporating Ward's method, was conducted on all fourteen (14) items included in the final measurement model as presented in Figure 1 .
  • A dendrogram provides an indication of heterogeneity change (average within-cluster distance) for all possible combinations of clusters.
  • From an inspection of the dendrogram, it was found that a division of two clusters represented the best solution.
  • The final centroids of the two clusters based on the fourteen items are plotted in Figure 2 .
  • Additionally, the results from One-way Analysis of Variance showed that the final centroids of both clusters were significantly different across all items.

4.3.2. Interpretation of clusters

  • The characteristics of both uncovered clusters were interpreted through the cluster profiles presented in Figure 2 .
  • From the figure, it can be observed that the centroids within Cluster 1 are consistently very high across all items, indicating that this group of respondent had a very high concern for environment and water conservation.
  • Examination of the demographic information for both clusters revealed that the VHC group has a higher proportion of small and large family households (74%) than that of the MHC cluster (62%).
  • On the other hand, the percentage of households with couples in the VHC group (21%) was lower than that of the MHC group (27%).
  • Whilst, this difference is not statistically significant due to the relatively small sample size (F=1.370; p=0.244), it could provide some indication that environmental and water conservation concern may become less important to greater proportions of people in the upper middle and higher classes.

4.4.2. Clustered water end use consumption

  • Two attitudinal clusters for the sampled households, namely VHC and MHC, were determined earlier based on the household residential perceptions regarding their concern for environment and water conservation awareness and practice.
  • When considering individual end use activities, it was found that the volumetric consumption for all categories was lower than that of the total sample, with the exception of dishwasher.
  • Figure 6 , presents the VHC clusters' descending profile for each individual households' water end use consumption breakdown, indicating that the majority of households in this sub-sample consumed water less than 150 L/p/d.
  • These two outliers potentially represent households whose reported attitudes do not adequately reflect their actual behaviours.
  • The break down of average daily per capita consumption (L/p/d) for the households in the MHC cluster (n=78) is presented in Figure 7 .

4.4.3. Clustered comparative analysis

  • Results from the preceding section provided illustrative evidence that end use water consumption varies depending on the environmental attitudes of consumers.
  • Further investigation was undertaken to determine the level of statistical difference for each end use category.
  • To achieve this, an independent sample t-test was carried out using the two extracted clusters as input samples.
  • The results from this test, as presented in Table 7 show that total water consumption volumes for these two clusters are statistically different, with the VHC cluster having 24.1% lower consumption (128.2 L/p/d) than that of the MHC (169.0 L/p/d).
  • Furthermore, consumption levels for the four defined discretionary end use categories (i.e. shower, clothes washer, tap and irrigation) are all significant at 0.05 level, suggesting that there is a relationship between the households' levels of water conservation and environmental concern, and actual water end use consumption.

5.1. Overview on water consumption and attitudes

  • Cluster analysis results indicated that survey respondents could be classified into two environmental attitudinal groups, namely VHC and MHC.
  • Residents clustered in the VHC group reported very high levels of understanding and concern for the environment and water conservation, whereas those in the MHC cluster reported only a moderate level.
  • Total water consumption, as well as the disaggregated water end uses categories that sum to this total, were aligned with household attitudinal ratings and compared.
  • Both the VHC and MHC groups displayed differing end use water consumption levels and possessed divergent characteristics.
  • The following sections provide further discussion, which outlines the supportive evidence for the listed propositions as well as proposes some of the underlying factors contributing to the current situational context.

5.1.1. Relationship between attitudes and total water consumption

  • It was hypothesised in this research that households with higher levels of environmental concern and attitude towards water conservation will consume significantly less water in total.
  • The analysis results provided empirical evidence which supports the first proposition (Proposition 1) by demonstrating that the VHC cluster households consumed significantly less water than the MHC cluster households.
  • This finding provides further support to previously reported research studies (Nancarrow et al., 1996) by revealing the link between positive attitudes and commitment towards the environment and water conservation.
  • These supportive attitudes often result in improved water conservation behaviours which, in turn, lead to lower levels of total water consumption in households.

5.1.2. Relationship between attitudes and behaviourally influenced end use consumption

  • The smart metering approach employed enabled the monitoring of water end use events.
  • Results from the clustered comparative analysis indicated significant differences in water consumption in all behaviourally influenced end uses, with the exception of bathtub, demonstrating that VHC residents consumed significantly less water in these end uses than the MHC residents.
  • Importantly, the above findings imply that there is a positive relationship between attitudes towards the environment and water conservation and water end use consumption across behaviourally influenced end uses.
  • The potential water savings achievable across certain end uses, through transforming households' attitudes, is highly evident (Table 7 ).

5.1.3. Relationship between attitudes and nondiscretionary end use consumption

  • Because non-discretionary end uses are those water use activities that tend to be consumed to satisfy basic need or function without being much affected by the users' behaviour, it was hypothesised in this research that there will be no significant differences in non-discretionary water end uses between households having different attitudes towards the environment and water conservation (Proposition 2b).
  • The two end use events that considered as nondiscretionary are toilet and dishwasher.
  • It is worthwhile noting that the levels of leakage did not differ between the two clusters.
  • Some visible components of leakage such as rectifying continuously running cisterns are affected by behaviours, but less visible leakage was not considered to be affected by behaviours.
  • Nonetheless, some of the urban water researchers associated with this study is examining such an issue in a separate investigation (Britton et al., 2008; Britton et al., 2009) .

5.2. Linking sociodemographic variables with attitudes

  • In addition to examining the relationship between attitudes and water consumption, the interpretation of clusters revealed some demographic characteristics that had higher representation in each identified cluster.
  • The VHC residents consisted of a larger proportion of families whereas the MHC cluster had a lower proportion of families and higher proportion of singles and couples.
  • The study indicated that there was no difference between the average lot sizes of the two clusters, indicating that irrigable area was not a contributing factor to the difference in irrigation end use volumes.
  • In summary, whilst the authors acknowledge that a wide range of other contributing factors, beyond environmental/water attitudes such as pricing or demographics, contribute to water consumption behaviours, the study provides strong indications that attitudes play a predominant role in water conservation.

6. Conclusions and implications

  • This paper presented findings from a component of the GCWSEU.
  • Subsequently, cluster analysis uncovered two distinct groups of households, being those with very high concern (VHC) and those with moderate to high (MHC) concern.
  • Overall, it was established that strong positive environmental and water conservation attitudes resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) lower total water consumption as well as for the behaviourally influenced end use categories (i.e. shower, clothes washing, irrigation and tap use).
  • Non-discretionary toilet and dishwasher use was not influenced by attitudes as predicted.
  • The study provides empirical evidence to support the view that if society at large values water and is actively concerned with how it is being consumed, significant reductions in consumption levels can occur.

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Rachelle McDonald Willis1, Rodney Anthony Stewart1, Damien Giurco2, Mohammad Reza Talebpour1, Alireza Mousavinejad1 •
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Abstract: Over the last two decades, water smart metering programs have been launched in a number of medium to large cities worldwide to nearly continuously monitor water consumption at the single household level. The availability of data at such very high spatial and temporal resolution advanced the ability in characterizing, modeling, and, ultimately, designing user-oriented residential water demand management strategies. Research to date has been focusing on one or more of these aspects but with limited integration between the specialized methodologies developed so far. This manuscript is the first comprehensive review of the literature in this quickly evolving water research domain. The paper contributes a general framework for the classification of residential water demand modeling studies, which allows revising consolidated approaches, describing emerging trends, and identifying potential future developments. In particular, the future challenges posed by growing population demands, constrained sources of water supply and climate change impacts are expected to require more and more integrated procedures for effectively supporting residential water demand modeling and management in several countries across the world. We review high resolution residential water demand modeling studies.We provide a classification of existing technologies and methodologies.We identify current trends, challenges and opportunities for future development.

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Cites background from "Quantifying the influence of enviro..."

  • ...…users’ profiles on the basis of the disaggre-381 gated end-uses (e.g., Loh et al., 2003; SDU, 2011; SJESD, 2011; Gato-Trinidad382 et al., 2011; Willis et al., 2011; Beal et al., 2011b, 2013; Cardell-Oliver and383 Peach, 2013; Cole and Stewart, 2013; Beal and Stewart, 2014; Beal et al.,…...

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A novel mixed method smart metering approach to reconciling differences between perceived and actual residential end use water consumption

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Cara Beal1, Rodney Anthony Stewart1, Kelly S. Fielding2, Kelly S. Fielding3•
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  • ...In Australia, there is growing evidence to suggest that residential consumers’ attitudes to water conservation have become more positive and this change in attitudes is paralleled by behavioural shifts in water use (Beal et al 2011, Willis et al. 2011b, Millock and Nauges 2010, Willis et al. 2010a)....

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  • ...Despite the growing number of water end use studies both in Australia (e.g. Water Corporation 2011, Willis et al. 2011b, Beal et al 2011, Roberts 2005, Loh and Coghlan 2003) and internationally (e.g. Fidar et al. 2010, Heinrich 2008, De Oreo 1996), there has been no reported examination of…...

    [...]

  • ...A number of end use studies have been conducted both in Australia (e.g. Water Corporation 2011, Beal et al. 2011, Willis et al. 2011b, Willis et al. 2010a, Roberts 2005, Loh and Coghlan 2003) and internationally (e.g. Heinrich 2008, De Oreo et al. 1996)....

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01 Jan 1988-Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science
TL;DR: In this article, structural equation models with latent variables are defined, critiqued, and illustrated, and an overall program for model evaluation is proposed based upon an interpretation of converging and diverging evidence.
Abstract: Criteria for evaluating structural equation models with latent variables are defined, critiqued, and illustrated. An overall program for model evaluation is proposed based upon an interpretation of converging and diverging evidence. Model assessment is considered to be a complex process mixing statistical criteria with philosophical, historical, and theoretical elements. Inevitably the process entails some attempt at a reconcilation between so-called objective and subjective norms.

19,160 citations

"Quantifying the influence of enviro..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Furthermore, both factors were shown to have a composite reliability well above 0.60, and average variance extracted being greater than 0.50 (Bagozzi and Yi, 1988)....

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Journal Article•DOI•
Basic Water Requirements for Human Activities: Meeting Basic Needs

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Peter H. Gleick1•
Pacific Institute1
01 Jun 1996-Water International
TL;DR: (1996).
Abstract: (1996). Basic Water Requirements for Human Activities: Meeting Basic Needs. Water International: Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 83-92.

1,114 citations

Book•
Residential End Uses of Water

[...]

Peter Mayer
01 Jan 1999

692 citations

"Quantifying the influence of enviro..." refers background in this paper

  • ...beliefs and behaviours of consumers (Nieswaidomy and Molina, 1989; Renwick and Archibald, 1998; Mayer and DeOreo, 1999; Renwick and Green, 2000; Inman and Jeffrey, 2006)....

    [...]

  • ...…devices (i.e. clothes washers, shower heads, tap fittings, dishwashers and toilets) and the attitudes, rights reserved. beliefs and behaviours of consumers (Nieswaidomy and Molina, 1989; Renwick and Archibald, 1998; Mayer and DeOreo, 1999; Renwick and Green, 2000; Inman and Jeffrey, 2006)....

    [...]

  • ...Earlier end use studies have demonstrated that households with very high incomes consume more water externally while, the variation of internal water consumption remains similar and is not statistically significant between income levels (Mayer and DeOreo, 1999; Loh and Coghlan, 2003)....

    [...]

  • ...Nancarrow and Syme (1989); CSIRO (2002); Gilg and Barr (2006); DECC (2007); Mayer and DeOreo (1999)....

    [...]

  • ...External consumption is the end use detailed to be most effected by income and the cost of water (Mayer and DeOreo, 1999)....

    [...]

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Residential End Uses of Water

[...]

01 Jan 1999
Peter Mayer
Frequently Asked Questions (10)
Q1. What are the contributions in "Quantifying the influence of environmental and water conservation attitudes on household end use water consumption author" ?

Through a mixed method research design incorporating field-based smart metering technology and questionnaire surveys, this paper reveals the relationship between environmental and water conservation attitudes and a domestic water end use break down for 132 detached households located in the Gold Coast, Australia. The paper concluded with implications for urban water demand management planning, policy and practice. 

The Institute for Sustainable Futures, Wide Bay Water Corporation and the Queensland Water Directorate are also acknowledged for their involvement in the research collaborative. 

Understanding water consumption at the end use level is critical due to the fact thatoverall domestic water consumption is made up of different water end use events. 

To improve the model fit, a refinement procedure was carried out, which mainly involved removing items that had insignificant or low factor loading (<0.50), and low reliability (R2 < 0.50). 

Results indicated that committed environmentalists and main stream environmentalists were most likely to engage in energy and water saving activities regularly. 

since their loadings were meaningful (greater than 0.50) and highly significant, these items were retained in the measurement model (Koufteros, 1999). 

This behavioural shift epitomises the ‘Human Exception Paradigm’, a belief that humans are above nature and therefore do not have to regard the environment when they consume resources (Bechtel et al., 1999). 

research outcomes could be subsequently integrated into national water planning and management strategies to enhance long term WDM practices. 

Further research on attitudes towards environment and water conservation across different socio-economic groups could provide additional insight into domestic water consumption behaviour and would assist in triggering the development of targeted awareness messages. 

Of these end uses, five were considered to be strongly influenced by behavioural aspects: shower, clothes washer, tap, bathtub and irrigation.