Urban water conservation: consumer attitude, environmental policy tools and the implications for sustainable development

Achieving sustainable development, in the face of environmental uncertainty, will require substantial changes to human behaviour. This is especially so for Australia's inland aquatic resources, which have suffered serious environmental degradation resulting from water withdrawals for agricultural, industrial and domestic purposes. Domestic water use in metropolitan Melbourne provides a suitable example of how consumer attitude and behaviour are influenced by various factors. This thesis examines the interactions between consumer attitudes and behaviour in relation to social and institutional factors; the environmental awareness of consumers; and a range of environmental policy tools specific to urban water resource conservation within Banyule City Council. It discusses the interrelated effectiveness of direct and indirect regulation, market-based instruments and education on water consumption. It finds that consumer environmental awareness is an essential component for reducing water consumption across all sectors of the population. In addition, the effectiveness of both direct and indirect regulation of water use is shown. The thesis concludes with some suggested strategies to facilitate sustainable development for water resources