Residential water demand modeling in Queensland, Australia: a comparative panel data approach

摘要

This paper uses monthly data from eleven local governments to model residential water demand in Queensland,nAustralia from 1994 to 2004. In the sample, residential consumption is charged using a variety of structuresnincluding fixed charges without allowance, fixed charges with allowance and excess rates, two-part tariffsncomprising an access charge and a flat consumption rate, and multi-part tariffs with an access charge and two ornmore limits with increasing consumption rates. Water demand is specified as average monthly household waternconsumption and the demand characteristics include the marginal and average price of water and daily averagenmaximum temperatures and rainfall. The findings confirm residential water as price inelastic, more responsive tonaverage than marginal prices, and more responsive to changes in temperature than rainfall. The results also suggestnthat cross-sectional variation in demand is related to local government-specific factors.