Abstract
This paper reports on a review of international water conservation efforts, but with a particular focus on the Australian context. The aim is to take stock of the current understanding of water conservation, in particular: what influences people’s decision to conserve water, what influences whether people persist with water conservation behavior and what contributes to awareness and familiarity of water conservation behaviors. We also explore how all these factors jointly can achieve water savings over time, and the efficacy of past efforts to save water. Subsequently, this is used to identify where leading practice for managing water conservation is heading, which we argue is the application of recent developments in behavioral science and advances in smart metering to personalize water conservation programs. To support individualized water conservation efforts, we need more longitudinal studies of water conservation behavior, a greater focus on behavioral science, as well as the development of modelling tools that embed insights and lessons of this research into decision support capability. This can help to develop the capacity to better implement water conservation programs that respond to short-term water scarcity crises, such as droughts, while also providing persistent reductions in per-capita water demand that can help meet strategic water planning needs, such as deferring or downsizing capital investment in supply infrastructure to accommodate demands associated with population growth.
Highlights
Over the last decade, several global regions have experienced severe droughts that have impacted on regional water supply security
Muller [7] argued that the potable water supply crisis in Cape Town was mostly a product of poor management and planning where decisions were made based on political popularity rather than a scientific assessment of drought risks
This paper provides a review of water conservation experiences over the last couple of decades, with a specific focus on Australia, to identify any key lessons, and subsequently provides a discussion about where the key opportunities are for water conservation going forward
Summary
Several global regions have experienced severe droughts that have impacted on regional water supply security. Potable water conservation measures can be rapidly implemented in response to a drought event, while interventions to augment supply have. Reduced potable water use is associated with reduced energy use and greenhouse gas emissions [14,15,16,17] Another important advantage of water conservation, similar to supply augmentation, is that it has the potential to protect environmental water flows, especially at times of drought [18,19] and can, if using stormwater as a supply source, even reduce environmental damage caused by urban runoff [20]. The paper is primarily a review paper, but it is framed around a theoretical understanding of how water conservation is implemented through promoting awareness and understanding, and with the addition of decision trigger, such as a drought, initiate behavioral changes that conserve water. With this in mind, we ask: what approaches are available for planners to initiate water conservation behavior in response to future water security challenges?
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