Econometric models of domestic water consumption in the Tucson metropolitan area.

Abstract

Data by household on water consumption and twenty-seven economic and cultural variables assumed to be related to residential water consumption in Tucson were collected. Consumption models were constructed by a linear regression computer program. To develop empirical water demand models, the classic economic demand function, C f(p), is expanded to the function, C = f(p, x₂, x₃, ..., xn ), where p is Price, and x₂, x₃, •.., xn are other variables. Both mean household consumption and variability among households decrease as water price increases. In the lowest water price area water consumption was correlated significantly to the property value and pipe diameter at the meter, and slightly less significantly correlated to number of bathrooms and number of trees. In the second highest price area consumption was strongly correlated to property value, pipe diameter, number of bathrooms, number of trees, having a dishwasher, automatic clothes washer, garbage disposal, lawn, lawn area, sprinkling system, whether property value is more than $40,000, and whether the lawn is watered in the summer; it is moderately correlated to the number of people per house and negatively correlated to having an evaporative cooler.