Public Perception of Water Consumption and Its Effects on Water Conservation Behavior
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Field Survey and Data Collection
Sampled Sites | District | Sampled Families | Net Family Size | Annual Household Income (USD) | Water Supply Patterns | Water Price (USD/m3) | Sample Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | Weinan | 209 | 4.1 | 4120 | 24-h piped water supply | 0.35 | 34°45' N–34°49' N, 109°09' E–109°15' E |
B | Yanglin-Wugong | 334 | 3.9 | 4320 | 24-h piped water supply | 0.20 | 34°17' N–34°20' N, 107°57' E–108°04' E |
C | Baoji | 233 | 4.2 | 4010 | 24-h piped water supply | 0.32 | 34°21' N–34°24' N, 107°24' E–107°29' E |
Items | Interview Questions |
---|---|
Q1 | Our society is undergoing water shortages and pollution issues |
Q2 | It is important to always conserve water to avert water shortages |
Q3 | People should use no more water in the home than is necessary |
Q4 | If each household reduces the amount of water it uses by just a little, it will make a big difference for the community |
Q5 | Making an effort to save water is an indication of good upbringing and culture |
Q6 | I feel a moral obligation to use water carefully |
Q7 | My neighbors and friends always practice water conservation |
Q8 | I always regular check the water bill |
2.2. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Perceived and Actual Water Use
Socio-Economic characteristics | Overestimation group | Accurate estimation group | Underestimation group | Significance |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gender | 1.5 a | 1.7 a | 1.2 b | 0.004 |
Age/year | 50 a | 46 a | 37 b | 0.000 |
Education/year | 7.2 b | 6.4 b | 10.5 a | 0.000 |
Household income (USD) | 3850 b | 3680 b | 5140 a | 0.000 |
3.2. Relations between Perceived and Actual Water Consumption
Water Use Patterns | Overestimation Group | Accurate Estimation Group | Underestimation Group | N |
---|---|---|---|---|
Personal hygiene (L/person) | 6.5 ± 1.9 b | 8.5 ± 2.2 a | 8.3 ± 2.3 a | 538 |
Kitchen (L/household) | 27.5 ± 5.0 c | 39.3 ± 10.6 b | 50.9 ± 12.1 a | 519 |
Showering (L/person) | 9.5 ± 1.9 a | 9.2 ± 2.5 a | 8.8 ± 2.4 a | 507 |
Laundry (L/household) | 34.6 ± 10.3 a | 32.2 ± 9.3 a | 28.4 ± 6.8 a | 472 |
Vegetable gardening (L/household) | 31.8 ± 8.6 c | 52.9 ± 16.8 b | 81.7 ± 16.1 a | 517 |
House and yard cleaning (L/household) | 13.5 ± 2.3 c | 22.3 ± 5.8 b | 28.2 ± 6.3 a | 517 |
3.3. Water Conservation Consciousness and Practices under Different Perception Groups
Water Use Practice | Mean | Overestimation Group | Accurate Estimation Group | Underestimation Group | Significance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Personal hygiene (n = 538) | 3.96 ± 1.42 | 4.11 ± 1.56 | 3.89 ± 1.36 | 3.96 ± 1.27 | 0.241 |
Showering (n = 507) | 3.95 ± 1.43 | 4.03 ± 1.46 | 3.93 ±1.42 | 3.86 ±1.41 | 0.663 |
Laundry (n = 472) | 3.93 ± 1.43 | 3.89 ± 1.38 | 3.98 ± 1.44 | 3.67 ±1.46 | 0.349 |
Kitchen (n = 519) | 3.95 ± 1.43 | 3.71 ± 1.60 b | 4.11 ± 1.35 a | 3.70 ± 1.50 b | 0.007 |
House cleaning (n = 517) | 3.95 ± 1.43 | 3.24 ± 1.68 b | 4.22 ± 1.28 a | 3.70 ± 1.49 b | 0.000 |
Vegetable gardening (n = 517) | 3.95 ± 1.43 | 3.11 ± 0.94 b | 4.53 ± 0.94 a | 3.68 ± 1.52 b | 0.000 |
Water Use Conservation Practices | Overestimation Group | Accurate Estimation Group | Underestimation Group | Significance | N | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Personal hygiene | Turning off the faucet while brushing teeth, or lathering your face and hands | 4.04 ± 1.20 | 3.96 ± 1.27 | 4.15 ± 1.50 | 0.484 | 538 |
Showering | Avoiding running water in the shower while shampooing hair and soaping body | 3.92 ± 0.96 a | 3.79 ± 1.41 a | 2.98 ±0.98 b | 000 | 507 |
Taking short showers | 2.72 ± 1.25 | 2.67 ± 1.21 | 2.70 ± 1.34 | 0.965 | ||
Laundry | Laundering full loads whenever possible | 4.33 ± 1.34 | 4.20 ± 0.10 | 4.42 ± 0.82 | 0.308 | 472 |
Hand washing several items at the same time, and using the rinse water from one group of items as the wash water for next | 4.43 ± 1.19 | 4.31 ± 1.04 | 4.58 ± 1.05 | 0.194 | ||
Kitchen | Avoiding the use of running water when washing fruits and vegetables; washing them in a basin to conserve water. | 3.85 ± 1.11 a | 3.68 ± 1.59 a | 3.29 ± 1.08 b | 0.000 | 519 |
Washing all the dishes together in a basin | 3.92 ± 1.31 | 3.96 ± 1.31 | 4.13 ± 1.51 | 0.587 | ||
Avoiding the unnecessary rinsing of dishes, wiping dishes with duster cloth or using a scraper to minimize rinsing | 3.65 ± 1.16 a | 3.82 ± 1.51 a | 3.18 ± 1.28 b | 000 | ||
House and yard cleaning | Cleaning yards with a broom or mopping instead of using a hose | 4.58 ± 0.50 a | 4.51 ± 0.86 a | 3.08 ± 1.29 b | 000 | 517 |
Cleaning floors with a broom and avoiding frequent floor mopping | 2.84 ± 1.16 | 3.28 ± 1.37 | 3.07 ± 1.28 | 0.19 | ||
Using gray water from washing machines for cleaning yards, or flushing toilets | 4.49 ± 0.86 a | 4.38 ± 1.08 a | 4.12 ± 1.14 b | 0.001 | ||
Vegetable gardening | Watering vegetable garden only in the evening or morning | 4.76 ± 0.64 a | 4.82 ± 0.47 a | 4.11 ± 1.13 b | 000 | 517 |
Watering vegetable garden less frequently | 3.49 ± 1.29 a | 3.24 ± 1.34 a | 2.29 ± 1.43 b | 000 |
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
6. Study Implications
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Fan, L.; Wang, F.; Liu, G.; Yang, X.; Qin, W. Public Perception of Water Consumption and Its Effects on Water Conservation Behavior. Water 2014, 6, 1771-1784. https://doi.org/10.3390/w6061771
Fan L, Wang F, Liu G, Yang X, Qin W. Public Perception of Water Consumption and Its Effects on Water Conservation Behavior. Water. 2014; 6(6):1771-1784. https://doi.org/10.3390/w6061771
Chicago/Turabian StyleFan, Liangxin, Fei Wang, Guobin Liu, Xiaomei Yang, and Wei Qin. 2014. "Public Perception of Water Consumption and Its Effects on Water Conservation Behavior" Water 6, no. 6: 1771-1784. https://doi.org/10.3390/w6061771
APA StyleFan, L., Wang, F., Liu, G., Yang, X., & Qin, W. (2014). Public Perception of Water Consumption and Its Effects on Water Conservation Behavior. Water, 6(6), 1771-1784. https://doi.org/10.3390/w6061771