Economic recovery or increase in urban inequality? Consumption trends and water price perception in the households of Alicante coastline

Abstract

The period of urban water consumption decline that began in the mid-2000s in Spain was reversed in some Mediterranean coastal areas from 2014 as a result of the economic recovery and the tourist activity growth. However, at the infra-municipal level, this change in trend has not occurred in a homogeneous way. In order to improve the understanding of these trends, 171 personal surveys have been carried out in households of two municipalities of the Alicante coastline and their water billing data has been requested, aggregated by type of housing and urban sector. The results of the water consumption evolution analysis between 2007 and 2017 and the perception of the water price indicate that there has been an increase in urban inequality. While in low-density urban areas consumption has increased, especially in second homes, in high-density urban areas the decrease has been maintained, reaching levels that could indicate situations of water poverty. Therefore, the revision of the tariff structures is proposed to promote a fairer distribution of water service costs.