The Role of Affordability on the Adoption of Residential Point-of-Use Drinking Water Filtering Systems in China

Abstract

Access to clean drinking water is fundamental to human health, but a significant portion of China’s population lacks this essential resource due to low water quality. Point-of-use (POU) water filtering systems, offering ease of installation and maintenance, have emerged as a viable solution for providing clean drinking water in China. However, despite their advantages, the adoption rate remains below 20%. This study investigates whether and how price affordability affects the adoption of residential POU water filtering systems in China. In doing so, we conduct a quantitative analysis of the national POU water filtering systems sales and household income data from 2007 to 2022 in China. Our results show that the ratio of the initial purchase price to per capita disposable income and the adoption rate of POU systems in China are strongly positively correlated. Our findings shed light on potential pathways to facilitating their wider adoption, not only in China but also in other emerging countries.