Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Water Use Behavior in Japan

To investigate the effect of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on residential water use behavior in Japan, we conducted a web-based survey of 1310 people throughout Japan in March 2021, one year after the initial spread of coronavirus. The survey was designed to provide an average picture of Japan...

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Autores principales:	Kanako Toyosada, Chika Nakagawa, Takehiko Mitsunaga, Hiroyuki Kose
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	MDPI AG 2021
Materias:	water use behavior building plumbing design COVID-19 coronavirus coronavirus pandemic questionnaire survey Hydraulic engineering TC1-978 Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes TD201-500
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/cbc13710b6c242628b517565befd276f
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:cbc13710b6c242628b517565befd276f2021-11-11T19:58:15ZEffect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Water Use Behavior in Japan10.3390/w132131292073-4441https://doaj.org/article/cbc13710b6c242628b517565befd276f2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/21/3129https://doaj.org/toc/2073-4441To investigate the effect of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on residential water use behavior in Japan, we conducted a web-based survey of 1310 people throughout Japan in March 2021, one year after the initial spread of coronavirus. The survey was designed to provide an average picture of Japan. The survey revealed that the time respondents spent at home increased during the pandemic for both men and women in all age groups by an average of 1 h, an increase of 9%. Changes in water use behavior increased almost in proportion to the increase in time spent at home, except for the frequency of defecation, which was limited to once a day. The amount of time spent in the washroom increased by 13%, an increase of more than 1.4 times the increase in the amount of time spent at home. The additional 40% increase could be considered an effect of the awareness of disease prevention. The coronavirus pandemic is expected to end in the near future. In Japan, the pandemic has led to a strong push for the reform of work styles. Therefore, even in a post-coronavirus-pandemic society, changes in work styles may normalize the increased time spent at home and the proportional increase in water use. However, because the change in water use behavior caused by quarantine awareness is a result of the fear of coronavirus infection, it is possible that water use will gradually return to pre-pandemic levels once the source of the fear is removed. To reflect the changes in water use behavior in the design of facilities in the post-coronavirus-pandemic society, it is necessary to continue this survey even once the pandemic has ended.Kanako ToyosadaChika NakagawaTakehiko MitsunagaHiroyuki KoseMDPI AGarticlewater use behaviorbuilding plumbing designCOVID-19coronaviruscoronavirus pandemicquestionnaire surveyHydraulic engineeringTC1-978Water supply for domestic and industrial purposesTD201-500ENWater, Vol 13, Iss 3129, p 3129 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	water use behavior building plumbing design COVID-19 coronavirus coronavirus pandemic questionnaire survey Hydraulic engineering TC1-978 Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes TD201-500
spellingShingle	water use behavior building plumbing design COVID-19 coronavirus coronavirus pandemic questionnaire survey Hydraulic engineering TC1-978 Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes TD201-500 Kanako Toyosada Chika Nakagawa Takehiko Mitsunaga Hiroyuki Kose Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Water Use Behavior in Japan
description	To investigate the effect of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on residential water use behavior in Japan, we conducted a web-based survey of 1310 people throughout Japan in March 2021, one year after the initial spread of coronavirus. The survey was designed to provide an average picture of Japan. The survey revealed that the time respondents spent at home increased during the pandemic for both men and women in all age groups by an average of 1 h, an increase of 9%. Changes in water use behavior increased almost in proportion to the increase in time spent at home, except for the frequency of defecation, which was limited to once a day. The amount of time spent in the washroom increased by 13%, an increase of more than 1.4 times the increase in the amount of time spent at home. The additional 40% increase could be considered an effect of the awareness of disease prevention. The coronavirus pandemic is expected to end in the near future. In Japan, the pandemic has led to a strong push for the reform of work styles. Therefore, even in a post-coronavirus-pandemic society, changes in work styles may normalize the increased time spent at home and the proportional increase in water use. However, because the change in water use behavior caused by quarantine awareness is a result of the fear of coronavirus infection, it is possible that water use will gradually return to pre-pandemic levels once the source of the fear is removed. To reflect the changes in water use behavior in the design of facilities in the post-coronavirus-pandemic society, it is necessary to continue this survey even once the pandemic has ended.
format	article
author	Kanako Toyosada Chika Nakagawa Takehiko Mitsunaga Hiroyuki Kose
author_facet	Kanako Toyosada Chika Nakagawa Takehiko Mitsunaga Hiroyuki Kose
author_sort	Kanako Toyosada
title	Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Water Use Behavior in Japan
title_short	Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Water Use Behavior in Japan
title_full	Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Water Use Behavior in Japan
title_fullStr	Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Water Use Behavior in Japan
title_full_unstemmed	Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Water Use Behavior in Japan
title_sort	effect of the covid-19 pandemic on residential water use behavior in japan
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/cbc13710b6c242628b517565befd276f
work_keys_str_mv	AT kanakotoyosada effectofthecovid19pandemiconresidentialwaterusebehaviorinjapan AT chikanakagawa effectofthecovid19pandemiconresidentialwaterusebehaviorinjapan AT takehikomitsunaga effectofthecovid19pandemiconresidentialwaterusebehaviorinjapan AT hiroyukikose effectofthecovid19pandemiconresidentialwaterusebehaviorinjapan
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Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residential Water Use Behavior in Japan

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