Toward achieving persistent behavior change in household water conservation

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Abstract

Achieving persistence in household behavior modification has been a central but elusive goal of environmental conservation attempts that rely on behavioral interventions. We implemented a habit change intervention, designed to achieve persistent change in household water conservation behavior in an affluent residential community in urban India. We found a 15 to 25% reduction in household water consumption in the absence of any volumetric pricing. Most importantly, the effects of our 5-wk intervention persisted for more than a year, after which marginal pricing was introduced. The treatment gap was not bridged even after a year under the marginal price regime.

Publication Date

7-6-2021

Publisher

National Academy of Sciences (NAS)

Volume

Vol.118

Issue

Iss.24

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