A Review of Residential Water Consumption Determinants

Water supply sectors are facing higher uncertainty in both resource
availability and consumer demand. Future conservation programs require a full
understanding of underlying factors of residential water consumption. However,
previous studies have only considered one or several groups of factors without
putting them all together in a bigger picture. This study was developed to provide
a comprehensive view on these determinants and their relationships, as well as to
discuss current gaps and possible directions. Determinants are categorized into
six groups: (1) Economic; (2) Socio-demographic; (3) Physical properties; (4)
Technological; (5) Climatic; and (6) Spatial drivers. All these determinants produce
a very complex picture with many possible interrelationships. This nature,
in one hand, poses challenges in selecting suitable technique to avoid autocorrelation,
but on the other hand, provides chances to substitute unavailable important
data with proxy variables. We have emphasized the lack of regional and cultural
diversity in current studies, as most of them were carried out in developed and
arid areas. Hence, a wider range of country specific and local-based studies is
needed to better reflect the determinants and their relationships in diverse contexts.
In future studies, a broader assessment scope taking into account effects
such as feedback loop, spillover, and rebound should also be considered. In addition,
these studies must deal with modern issues such as balancing between
smart monitoring device utilization and consumer privacy.