Understanding Water Consumption in Qatar: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Survey

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of a nationally representative (n = 1,002) telephone survey conducted in Qatar on habits, perceptions, and religious attitudes related to water use. Our empirical analysis yields three main findings. When asked whether religious obligation was a reason to save water, (Formula presented.) of respondents agreed with the statement, showing it to be an important stated motive for water conservation. However, we find no statistically significant relationship between stated attitudes towards water use and actual water consumption. Second, when asked to estimate their monthly water use, participants’ actual water consumption was similar to how they perceived it to be, on average, but different at the decile level. Third, certain household water usage characteristics are associated with significantly higher levels of water consumption. These include: nationality, education, number of adults in the residence, among others.