Estimation of area and income elasticities of water demand in a number of cities and towns in Gauteng

M.Ing.Water demand prediction can be useful for future planning and has a significant economic effect on a city, town or suburb. There are numerous factors influencing water demand and therefore influencing the prediction thereof. The effect of each of these factors on the water demand is called the elasticity of that factor. The main aim of this study is to determine area and income elasticities of demand. This will enable the reader to predict water demand by taking stand size (area) and income into account. The stand value of each user was used as a surrogate for the income of that user. Another aim of this study is to compare average water demands for different cities and towns in Gauteng, South Africa with each other. Over 190 000 users' data were used for this study