The Role of Communicative Feedback in Successful Water Conservation Programs

Abstract

The Sacramento County Water Agency has made available 2 water conservation programs to its customers. The Data Logger Program attaches the Meter Master Model 100 EL data logger to the customer's water meter for 1 week and provides a detailed report of water usage from each fixture. The Water Wise House Call Program provides findings and recommendations to participants after an hour-long house call by a trained water efficiency professional. This article reports on the effectiveness of these programs for a sample of 100 participating households. The results indicate that although both programs are effective, the Data Logger Program results in greater water conservation. The role of more informative communicative feedback to customers as an explanation for this finding is discussed. The findings emphasize the importance of providing information that target behavioral changes and the provision of timely feedback of the effect of the behavioral changes to the success of water conservation efforts.