Water Use Behavior in a Multicultural Urban Area in Sweden

Atefeh Dadvar; Krushna Mahapatra; Jörgen Forss

doi:10.3390/su13158603

Water Use Behavior in a Multicultural Urban Area in Sweden

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13158603 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (15) ◽

pp. 8603

Author(s):

Atefeh Dadvar ◽

Krushna Mahapatra ◽

Jörgen Forss

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Urban Area ◽

Water Consumption ◽

Water Conservation ◽

User Behavior ◽

World Population ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Individual Measurement ◽

Visualization System ◽

Use Behavior

The increasing world population and climate change are major concerns for the supply of water needs. Understanding user behavior facilitates the development of effective strategies of domestic water management. This research applied a questionnaire survey and data analysis methods to analyze the water consumption behavior of tenants in a multicultural urban area, dominated by immigrants of different ethnic origins, in the city of Växjö in Sweden. Results showed that the majority of the studied participants perceived themselves to be environmentally friendly. They reported to be engaged in water conservation activities quite often, but analysis showed that they did not have accurate perceptions of their water consumption. Positive attitudes towards water conservation and self-reported water conservation activities significantly but negatively influenced respondents’ actual water consumption, i.e., water consumption was higher. Subjective norms did not have a significant influence. The results also revealed that individual measurement and debit positively influenced, i.e., reduced, actual water consumption. Therefore, water management systems should include an individual measurement and debit system combined with a visualization system to enable tenants to monitor the quantity and cost of their water consumption.

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Sustainable Water Use Practices: Understanding and Awareness of Masters Level Students

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su131910499 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (19) ◽

pp. 10499

Author(s):

Dexter V. L. Hunt ◽

Zeerak Shahab

Keyword(s):

Water Use ◽

Water Consumption ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Social Practice ◽

User Behavior ◽

Theoretical Models ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Environmental Pressures ◽

The Uk ◽

Water Use Practices

Present water consumption in the UK is unsustainable, with increasing societal and environmental pressures driving water stress. Personal use of water is a significant contributor to water demand and considering the number of universities and students in the UK the water use practices therein cannot be ignored. Therefore, this paper aims to deepen the theme of water consumption in the United Kingdom from the point of view of use practices for students. The originality in this research lies in better understanding whether UK Masters level students have a basic awareness of personal water consumption and water pricing and whether they have a preferred approach to reducing their water consumption—through a behavioral change, or through adoption of technologies. Through use of a questionnaire approach applied to five cohorts (2017 to 2021) of Masters level students, the level of understanding and awareness towards their own domestic water use both now and in the future was demonstrated. Key findings suggest that Masters students underestimated their water use by 76% compared to the average UK national range and that there was an overall preference to adopt water saving technologies rather than changing user behavior (40% vs. 27%). The study concludes that it is important to approach water conservation from an SPT perspective in order to achieve meaningful change in water use practices. Qualitative and quantitative research is analyzed in light of theoretical models (i.e., Social Practice and Attitude Behavior Framework ABC) in order to make recommendations for greater societal prominence for this issue through media and education.

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Without households, water management is not integrated

Water Practice & Technology ◽

10.2166/wpt.2012.020 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

K. Harriden

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Water Resource Management ◽

Relationship Building ◽

Conservation Practices ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Water Users ◽

Household Water ◽

Single Use ◽

Management Policies

With the institutional and personal relationship building vital to integrated water resource management (IWRM) in practice stopping at the community scale, households and householders are largely neglected from the framework. Domestic water users are viewed as a homogenous group requiring only continuous, single-use potable supply, with equal, unproblematic access to the supplied water. Reflecting the reality of few households, this construct contributes to the development of inappropriate and ineffective institutional water management policies and practices. Using evidence from Water Diaries conducted in the ACT region, including household adoption of water conservation practices and acceptance of water restrictions, this paper demonstrates that householders are active water managers. Outlining the benefits to IWRM of incorporating household water management expertise, this paper argues it is appropriate to formally include this sector in the IWRM framework.

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Assessment of water-saving equipment to support the urban management of water

RBRH ◽

10.1590/2318-0331.0217170013 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 22 (0) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Juliana Karla da Silva ◽

Luiz Gustavo Costa Ferreira Nunes ◽

Anna Elis Paz Soares ◽

Simone Rosa da Silva

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Water Consumption ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Economic Impacts ◽

Return Time ◽

Water Saving ◽

The Past ◽

Per Capita ◽

Water Volumes ◽

Drought Effects

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to analyze the environmental and economic impacts of the implementation of water-saving equipment in residences in the municipality of Caruaru-PE as a measure of water conservation and mitigation of the drought effects that have been devastating the region along the past five years. For this purpose, eight neighborhoods were selected and their populations were estimated along the years of 2015 and 2035. Subsequently, the water consumption per capita, water volumes consumed with the use of conventional sanitary equipment and with the use of water-saving equipment were calculated, obtaining the volume of water saved. For the estimates of cost for the services and material required for the installation of water-saving equipment, tables of price compositions for budgets were consulted and adapted. The results demonstrated that it is possible to save up to 40% of consumed water only with the implementation of water-saving equipment, with a mean return time of six and a half years. Therefore, it is possible to understand that the use of water-saving equipment represents an important instrument of water management.

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Assessment of Water Usage and Water Management in Mae Fah Luang University

Applied Environmental Research ◽

10.35762/aer.2017.39.1.5 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 41-47

Author(s):

Yanasinee Suma ◽

Nittaya Pasukphun ◽

Anuttara Hongthong ◽

Vivat Keawdounglek

Keyword(s):

Water Use ◽

Water Consumption ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Good Practice ◽

High Water ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Water Usage ◽

Residential Areas ◽

Type Water ◽

Use Behavior

A university may be compared by its size of population and activities to a small city, with high water consumption and in need of effective water conservation strategies. This study presents the results of a study of water consumption on the Mae Fah Luang University campus in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Consumption was classified by activity type, water usage and water saving behavior of students and staff. The results suggest strategies for water conservation on campus. With a water conservation plan focusing on residential areas (halls and homes), which accounted for the highest levels of consumption on the campus. The study also identified activities where water-use behavior was wasteful; hence, we propose practical strategies to reduce the university’s water use by a) raising awareness of the costs of wasting water; b) education to improve knowledge, attitude, and behavior in regard to water conservation, with examples of good practice.

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A Review of Landscape Water Requirements Using a Multicomponent Landscape Coefficient

Transactions of the ASABE ◽

10.13031/trans.13948 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (6) ◽

pp. 2039-2058

Author(s):

Richard G. Allen ◽

Michael D. Dukes ◽

Richard L. Snyder ◽

Roger Kjelgren ◽

Ayse Kilic

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Soil Water ◽

Water Consumption ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Vegetation Type ◽

Irrigation Scheduling ◽

Water Requirements ◽

Decoupling Method ◽

Management Objectives ◽

Landscape Water

HighlightsA multi-component decoupling method for the landscape coefficient is described that provides a thorough means to estimate the water requirements of landscapes.The decoupling method considers differences in vegetation type, density, local climate, and soil water management.Methods for incorporating managed stress and frequency of irrigation are described.Winter or dormant season ET is described.The procedure in ASABE Standard S623 is a simpler form of the multi-component procedure and is complementary.Abstract. Water requirements of landscapes are highly variable due to the heterogeneous natures of landscapes, vegetation types, influence of buildings, and nutrient and water management. Objectives for water management of landscapes are for general appearance and health rather than for maximum biomass production. A multi-component method developed for the Irrigation Association (IA) and extended from the California WUCOLS procedure is demonstrated in which the landscape coefficient (KL, equivalent to a crop coefficient) is broken down into four components: vegetation type, vegetation density, microclimate, and managed stress. Each of these components can be estimated using readily made descriptions of a landscaped area and management objectives. One form of the KL equation is used to determine target KL that incorporates a target amount of soil water stress to support water conservation and to support water planning studies. A second form of the KL equation can be used to estimate the actual KL occurring under actual water management. The second form is used in studies of water balances and actual water conservation. The general decoupled equation is further expanded to optionally incorporate impacts of evaporation from exposed soil to assess impacts of irrigation frequency on total water consumption. The mathematics for the approach can be incorporated into software applications and smart irrigation controllers to produce improved water consumption estimates for landscape water requirements for use in irrigation scheduling, water requirement planning, and water depletion studies. The simplified procedure for estimating landscape water requirements in ASABE Standard S623 that is complementary to the IA procedure is discussed and compared. Both methods use a vegetation type and density system as the basis for efficiently estimating scientifically accurate landscape water requirements. Keywords: . Evapotranspiration, Irrigation requirements, Landscape coefficients, Landscape water requirements, Managed Stress, Microclimates, NAIP areal imagery.

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Household water use: a Portuguese field study

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2007.098 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 7 (5-6) ◽

pp. 193-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

P. Vieira ◽

M. do C. Almeida ◽

J.M. Baptista ◽

R. Ribeiro

Keyword(s):

Field Study ◽

Water Use ◽

Water Consumption ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Household Water ◽

Main Components ◽

Definition Of

Household water use structure can vary significantly depending on several factors like personal habits, socio-economic, cultural and climatic conditions. In the absence of Portuguese data on domestic water consumption, a field study was carried out in order to obtain information that could help support the definition of water conservation measures within the scope of the Portuguese National Program for the Efficient Use of Water. The paper describes the methodology and results obtained in this study, which involved approximately 100 participants that made a characterization of their appliances and detailed recordings of all water uses. Results allowed for the determination of average values of usage duration and frequency for each appliance, total volume consumed per water appliance and per capita water consumption. In terms of consumption structure, it was found that showering and bathing were the main components (36±13%) followed by taps (29±10%) and toilet flushing (21±7%).

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Water auditing: the case for statutory requirements

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2008.112 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 597-601

Author(s):

J. Schlafrig ◽

J. Sturman ◽

G. Ho ◽

K. Mathew

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Water Reuse ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Quantitative Information ◽

Rational Approach ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Or Efficiency ◽

Structural Water ◽

Systematic Process

Drought across swathes of Australia, highlights our need for water conservation in addition to seeking new sources of water (demand and supply-side resource options). Water conservation or efficiency improvement is currently a non-systematic process along the lines of ‘if we do such and such then we will save so much water’. Such an approach is ad-hoc and only has the appearance of being ‘quantitative’. We would class it as qualitative, or maybe advanced qualitative water conservation. True quantitative or structured water auditing of non-domestic water consumption is an iterative, systematic and documented process of obtaining reliable use data, validated by a closure approach. Opportunities are identified for water use reduction, water reuse, recycling and for water resource substitution. Financial assessment of savings in cost against cost of measures will provide a payback period. A water management strategy or Water Management Plan (WMP) as it is known in Victoria, Australia, is devised which is consistent with legal requirements, the enterprise's environmental policy and its movement towards sustainable development. Regulators have legislated for mandatory WMPs and audits in Victoria, but this is the only state so far to do this. Mandatory water auditing should be an uncontested choice as it can only provide a win:win situation regulation to the private sector. We argue that only the systematic process provided by structural water auditing constitutes quantitative water conservation. Further, statutory obligation for water users to engage in the water auditing process will give the broad, systematic quantitative information, and based upon which optimal water management strategies or WMPs can be devised. This will ensure a rational approach to our future water needs and the needs of our environment. It is anticipated that voluntary auditing in the arenas not mandated will increase in the long term if this is done.

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