Individualized water source as an indicator of attitudes about water management and conservation in humid regions

Abstract

Public perceptions about water quantity and water as a common pool resource are understudied in humid regions. As water demand increases, the need to more closely manage water, even in humid areas, will increase, requiring better understanding how people perceive their water supply, how they view paying for water conservation and how water user characteristics influence attitudes. A survey finds correlations between utilizing an individual water source (e.g. well or spring) and attitudes toward water management and conservation. Compared to respondents with a shared water source, those with an individual source believe they are segregated from regional water concerns. They are less willing to pay for water management or conservation measures and less supportive of any government intervention in water management. These results suggest that planners and water managers may face resistance to conservation policies or any policy based on the idea of water as a common pool resource.

Keywords:

• water management
• conservation
• common pool resource
• public perception
• geography

Acknowledgements

This research was funded through a grant from the Appalachian State University Research Council grant URC-F12. This research was approved under the Appalachian State University Institutional Review Board. Thanks to Aaron Chapman for his assistance with creating Figure 1.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The price elasticity of demand is negative because of the inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded. The higher the absolute value of price elasticity, the more responsive consumers are to price changes; i.e. consumption falls more in response to a price increase the more elastic consumer demand is.

2. Mitchell and Carson (1989) suggest that understanding the attitude–behavior relation provides some indication of actual behavioral intentions; that is, when attitudes align with hypothetical behavior questions, hypothetical behavior is a valid indicator of actual behavior.

Additional information

Funding

The Appalachian State University Research Council [grant number URC-F12].