The Effect of Awareness-Raising on Household Water Consumption

Renato Morbidelli (), Carla Saltalippi, Alessia Flammini and Jacopo Dari
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Renato Morbidelli: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Carla Saltalippi: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Alessia Flammini: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Jacopo Dari: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-14

Abstract: This work analyses what the systematic effect of public awareness on domestic water consumption is. In some parts of the world, the availability of water is continually decreasing, mainly due to reduced rainfall, so it is of paramount importance to raise awareness among the population. We conducted an experiment on a large sample of participating units located in urban areas of Italy, mainly in the central portion of the country. Approximately 750 people participated, belonging to 250 buildings, mainly domestic residences, but also professional offices, small companies, and student residences. In the first phase, lasting three weeks, normal per capita water consumption was quantified. Subsequently, instructions were given on how to save water during various uses in the household (showers, cleaning hands, use of water in toilets and in the kitchen, watering small green areas, use of water in the kitchen, and so on), and small visual messages conveyed through stickers were posted on water dispensers to remind users to behave properly. Finally, household consumption was assessed again during a further 3-week period. An average water-saving ( W S ) rate of +17.20% was found, in line with results obtained from a previous similar experiment involving a much smaller sample. Higher W S rates were recorded for buildings with less inhabitants. This experiment enabled us to quantify the significant effect of the awareness-raising action on the reduction in water consumption, without the use of any structural action (e.g., replacement of dispensers, improvement of the water system, realization of recycling systems). Moreover, the simplicity of the proposed methodology makes it suitable for implementation in other regions worldwide, thus promoting a step forward towards more sustainable use of water.

Keywords: water-saving; urban areas; sensitization; climate change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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