Author(s): Vagiona Dimitra
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Residential water consumption is usually the most important use in an urban context (OECD, 1999) and its management results in the most controversial decision from a socioeconomic point of view (Fernando Arbues et al., 2003). In the past, most of the attempts to satisfy the increased water demand, led to a more intensive exploitation of water resources. This one-sided management of water has caused not only the gradual depletion of water resources but also their qualitative degradation. During the last years, all efforts to conserve water balance for demand and supply have focused on managing water demand. Within this framework lie the study and evaluation of suitable social interventions as well as the application of financial methods and measures which could contribute significantly to saving water, which are nowadays the top choices of a sustainable water policy (Baumann et al., 1997; Wang and Lall, 1999). According to the availability and the type of data, there are many applications and statistical models to be found in the international bibliography, which evaluate the water demand curve in the residential sector and define the factors that affect water demand as well as the way they affect each other. In this study, the opinion of residential consumers (final water users) on factors that lead to water conservation is further investigated. The method of multicriteria analysis sets weights on water conservation factors and grades different management scenarios. Thus, the social component is introduced into water management for the residential sector, which is considered to be essential for the integrated management of water resources.
Year: 2007