Defining domestic water consumption based on personal water use activities
As the world increasingly faces water shortages, it is critical to develop realistic estimates of water consumption based on water-use activities rather than top-down imposed limits. This study quantifies the absolute basic consumption (ABC) of an individual, irrespective of water-use location or wa...
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| Autores principales: | , , |
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| Formato: | article |
| Lenguaje: | EN |
| Publicado: |
IWA Publishing
2021
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://doaj.org/article/c0b31483264f44fea2280e061fdeacf0 |
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| Sumario: | As the world increasingly faces water shortages, it is critical to develop realistic estimates of water consumption based on water-use activities rather than top-down imposed limits. This study quantifies the absolute basic consumption (ABC) of an individual, irrespective of water-use location or water source, with a focus on personal water-use activities rather than measured household consumption. A theoretical model to stochastically describe 21 personal water-use activities was developed, corresponding to lifestyle levels based upon Maslow's hierarchy of physiological needs. From this model, the expected value of ABC was 92 L/capita/day (LPCD) and includes restrictions on several everyday activities and thus would be better as a minimum target during stringent water restrictions. A more realistic expected value for non-wasteful, indoor-only water use was determined to be 175 LPCD. The results of this study serve as a useful benchmark to inform policy choices and efforts to conserve water without affecting health and wellbeing. HIGHLIGHTS
It is important to quantify water consumption based on water-use activities and across all daily water-use locations.;
The expected value of basic water consumption for a healthy urban lifestyle is 92 L/person/day, which includes restrictions on everyday activities.;
A more realistic expected value for water consumption is 175 L/person/day across all water-use locations during a typical day.; |
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