Diffusion of water-saving irrigation innovations in Florida’s urban residential landscapes

Abstract

This study examined adopter stages and perceptions associated with urban landscape water conservation innovations in Florida, U.S.A. We used the Diffusion of Innovations theory to identify the current adopter stage for each of 18 different water conservation innovations and evaluated the relationships between Floridians’ perceived characteristics of these innovations and their adoption. We also compared this relationship among the most innovative 10% to that among their less innovative counterparts. Compatibility, trialability, and relative advantage predicted adoption of water conservation innovations overall. When only the most innovative individuals were considered, complexity and observability predicted adoption, while the other three characteristics of innovations (relative advantage, compatibility, and trialability) predicted adoption among less innovative Floridians. The findings provide insight into residential outdoor water conservation and suggest opposite processes of diffusion of water-saving technologies at the earlier and later stages of adoption within a social system. Specifically, more innovative individuals need to perceive that new water-saving innovations are not overly complex and also need to have the opportunity to observe the innovation’s benefits. Less innovative individuals need to have an opportunity to try innovations and need to perceive them as being compatible as well as better than what they have used in the past. These different needs should be integrated into interventions that promote water conservation in residential landscapes.