Using Geographic Information Systems to Explore the Determinants of Household Water Consumption and Response to the Queensland Government Demand-Side Policy Measures imposed during the Drought of 2006-2008
View/ Open
Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Baum, Scott
Other Supervisors
Burke, Matthew
Year published
2012
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
During a lengthy drought, and after imposition of a suite of demand-side policies, South East Queensland (SEQ) water use dropped dramatically, by nearly 80% in a three year period. This was an unprecedented response to water demand policy. It is not well known which of the particular policies was most influential in the reduction of domestic water use. Nor is it known which determinants of household water use were most significant for the greatest reductions in water use and for high water users. Urban water use, its determinants, and the interaction of these with demand-side policy, has been extensively investigated. However, ...
View more >During a lengthy drought, and after imposition of a suite of demand-side policies, South East Queensland (SEQ) water use dropped dramatically, by nearly 80% in a three year period. This was an unprecedented response to water demand policy. It is not well known which of the particular policies was most influential in the reduction of domestic water use. Nor is it known which determinants of household water use were most significant for the greatest reductions in water use and for high water users. Urban water use, its determinants, and the interaction of these with demand-side policy, has been extensively investigated. However, most studies have been of relatively broad scale, and few have had access to household level datasets of domestic water use. A range of tools was used to investigate the reduction in household water use and to identify which households used more water. The water use of detached households on the Sunshine Coast (which did not have water restrictions) was compared to that of Brisbane (which did) to isolate the effect of water restrictions from the raft of demand side policy measures. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) was used to stratify households according to water use, and socio-demographic characteristics. Thereafter, a random sample of households in both LGAs was surveyed to explore how key in-depth household characteristics related to water use. Quantitative statistical analysis, including geodemographic techniques, was used to analyse patterns of water use, as well as census data. The survey design was guided by a range of commonly used psychological frameworks, particularly an extended version of Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Although qualitative analysis was not a component of the research methodology, the questionnaire included a single open-ended question, which was used to inform and flesh out the quantitative results.
View less >
View more >During a lengthy drought, and after imposition of a suite of demand-side policies, South East Queensland (SEQ) water use dropped dramatically, by nearly 80% in a three year period. This was an unprecedented response to water demand policy. It is not well known which of the particular policies was most influential in the reduction of domestic water use. Nor is it known which determinants of household water use were most significant for the greatest reductions in water use and for high water users. Urban water use, its determinants, and the interaction of these with demand-side policy, has been extensively investigated. However, most studies have been of relatively broad scale, and few have had access to household level datasets of domestic water use. A range of tools was used to investigate the reduction in household water use and to identify which households used more water. The water use of detached households on the Sunshine Coast (which did not have water restrictions) was compared to that of Brisbane (which did) to isolate the effect of water restrictions from the raft of demand side policy measures. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) was used to stratify households according to water use, and socio-demographic characteristics. Thereafter, a random sample of households in both LGAs was surveyed to explore how key in-depth household characteristics related to water use. Quantitative statistical analysis, including geodemographic techniques, was used to analyse patterns of water use, as well as census data. The survey design was guided by a range of commonly used psychological frameworks, particularly an extended version of Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Although qualitative analysis was not a component of the research methodology, the questionnaire included a single open-ended question, which was used to inform and flesh out the quantitative results.
View less >
Thesis Type
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Degree Program
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School
Griffith School of Environment
Copyright Statement
The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.
Item Access Status
Public
Subject
Water use South East queensland
Queensland drought 2006-2008
Household water use
Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour
Icek Ajzen
Water demand policy
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)