Abstract
Abstract Climate change, population growth and industrial activities continue to threaten water security, especially in the semi-arid regions. Demand management policies are essential in minimising the effects of acute water shortages. Such policies require information on household water consumption patterns and their behavioural practices. This study examines household water consumption behaviour and the adoption of water-efficient appliances in Johannesburg, South Africa. The study uses probit regression models to analyse survey data collected from 889 households during the period November 2017 to February 2018. Results show that while most households do not have water-efficient appliances installed in their homes, they do practise water-efficient behaviour. Older respondents as well as males and lower-income respondents are found to be more likely to practise efficient water-use behaviour. However, biographical variables do not generally influence the adoption of water-efficient appliances. These results are essential for policy-makers when formulating targeted water demand management policies. Thus, policy-makers should focus more on younger people, women and higher-income households when developing campaigns on efficient water-use behaviour.
Highlights
Water scarcity is one of the most pressing problems across the world
Understanding the relationship between the biographical characteristics of households and their water consumption behaviour is essential for policy-makers when developing water demand management policies
Statistically significant negative coefficients were reported for the income variable, implying that relatively low-income respondents were likely to say that they do not own these appliances compared to respondents with more income
Summary
Authorities are commonly faced with the challenge of ensuring that sufficient water resources are available to meet the ever-increasing water demand. Expansion of business activity and urban development continue to increase the demand for freshwater resources. Water scarcity is severe in semi-arid regions, where it becomes even more complex to secure water supplies, especially in the urban areas due to high populations and industrial activities (Fielding et al, 2012; Priyan, 2021).
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