Saving Water in a Desert City

摘要

The incentives and disincentives to water conservation, particularly preachments, prices, politics, and practices, are identified. Data is drawn from Tucson, Arizona, but findings have wider application to water savings in other urban areas. Rate increases and political conflict caused users to be sensitive to the water issue in Tucson and resulted in a 28% decrease in per capita use. However, failure of rates to increase more than inflation, combined with other determinants including climate, have resulted in incremental increases in water use in recent years. The report specifies the conditions under which political decision-makers will decide upon water demand management strategies. (Copyright (c) 1984 by Resources for the Future, Inc.)