An assessment framework for classifying determinants of household water consumption and their priorities for research and practice

Abstract

Achieving a thorough understanding of the determinants of household water consumption is crucial to support demand management strategies. Yet, existing research on household water consumption determinants is often limited to specific case studies, with findings that are difficult to generalize and not conclusive. Here, we contribute a framework for review, classification, and analysis of the literature on the determinants of household water consumption. Firstly, we identify a comprehensive set of 48 relevant publications, based on a systematic paper search. The framework firstly classifies household determinants into observable (physically seen/measured aspects of the house), latent (relates to the way occupants think/act/feel) and external (external to house and influence at regional level). Secondly, we undertake a trade-off analysis of different criteria that account for the representation of a potential water consumption determinant in the literature, its impact across heterogeneous case studies, and the effort required to collect information on it. The results of our trade-off analysis show that distinct groups of determinants exist, allowing for the formulation of four recommendation categories. These provide guidance for practitioners on which determinants to consider in practice and for researchers to prioritize in future research (Figure 1).