Current Residential Water Conservation Practices and Behaviors: Comparing Two Populations

Abstract

The availability of quality water is an important issue facing the residents of Tucson, Arizona and several communities in the Southwestern United States. As cities continue to grow, more emphasis is being placed on the importance of adopting efficient water use practices and behaviors. A water conservation demonstration, education, and research single family residence named Casa del Agua (Spanish for House of Water) has been established in Tucson, Arizona. Water conservation information is presented to the public via oral and video presentations and a guided tour of the perimeter of the residence. A questionnaire is given to the visitors as they arrive for the tour. The responses to this questionnaire make it possible to determine the types of water conservation behavior being practiced by the visitors to Casa del Agua. Water conservation attitude questions were also included in the questionnaires as were questions about several water issues. From this preliminary study, it has been determined that the levels of adoption of water conservation behaviors have been low to modest. It appears that many of the visitors to Casa del Agua have about the same level of knowledge concerning water conservation as the general public, although the random survey data for the Tucson area has yet to be analyzed. A comparison was made of similar questions asked in a random survey conducted in the Phoenix metropolitan area March 17 -20, 1988. Some of the findings include: 1) The amounts of self- reported water conservation behavior adoption are similar, although the residents of the Phoenix area seem to report a slightly higher percentage of water conservation practices being implemented. 2) Few respondents from either survey indicated they have attended a water conservation demonstration or workshop. 3) Negative public perceptions of water utilities need to be addressed. 4) Water conservation programs that include economic incentives are favored by both survey populations.