Efficient water-using technologies and habits: A disaggregated analysis in the water sector

- We analyze the relationship between efficient water-using technologies and corresponding water-saving habits.
- We observe differences in this relationship depending on the type of technology (electrical and non-electrical).
- Our results show that environmental concern is not a significant determinant for some water conservation behaviors.
- We identify socioeconomic characteristic of different consumer profiles which are relevant to tailor public policies.

This paper studies the determinants of owning water-efficient technologies and practicing the corresponding water-saving habits, and the potential relationship between both decisions as poor water-saving habits related to these technologies could lead to significant losses in water-use efficiency. We explore this relationship using a cross-section database of households in the city of Granada, distinguishing between electrical and non-electrical water-saving appliances. This distinction is made to account for the difference in the technical characteristics and to provide useful information for policy design. Our results show significant differences in the determinants of each decision. Moreover, a negative relationship between pro-environmental habits and efficient technologies in the case of non-electrical devices has been detected.