Wastewater reflections in consumer mind: Evidence from sewage services consumer behaviour

Abstract

Environmental concerns have become an important decision-making determinant for consumers. Hundreds of emerging pollutants and their metabolites are listed as present in European aquatic environments and human settlements are blamed as major sources of water pollution. It was assumed that as long as water treatment is not totally effective and it requires a high amount of energy and resources, household's contribution through correct behaviour in relation to the load of waste they discharge in the sewage system can reduce efforts towards wastewater treatment. Consequently, the main objective of this study was to investigate households' perception and behaviour related to wastewater treatment services. Results are based on a random survey with a sample of 125 Romanian consumers of water supply and sewage services. A key finding is that investigated wastewater services consumers perceive the effect of discharging untreated wastewater in the environment as highly negative both on human health and on the environment, thus pointing out the importance associated by them to water treatment. This research argues that understanding wastewater services consumer behaviour enlarges the way toward reducing environmental disturbances.