Sociodemographic determinants of water conservation behavior: A comprehensive analysis

Abstract

The manifold repercussions of climate change encompass diverse facets, encompassing the management of resources, agricultural infrastructure, production systems, and their profound implications for food security, self-sufficiency, and the overall well-being of societies. Regrettably, a significant portion of the populace remains indifferent to or uninformed about the adoption of water conservation practices. Previous scholarship has scrutinized factors influencing individual water-saving behaviors, yet these inquiries have predominantly overlooked the broader contextual elements shaping communal conduct. This study undertakes a comprehensive investigation to discern the multifaceted factors and sociodemographic variables that exert influence upon the water-saving conduct of individuals within a community. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to a sample of 633 participants. Employing rigorous factor analysis, we distilled a reduced set of factors from the multitude of variables under examination. Factor 1 exhibits a robust association with the utilization of water conservation equipment, while Factor 2 delineates patterns in water usage behavior. Furthermore, this research advances the discourse by deploying a probit model to delineate the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics, such as gender and occupation, and community engagement in water conservation in response to government incentives. Notably, the significance of these models is comparable across different sociodemographic groups, highlighting that both women and individuals with diverse occupational profiles stand to benefit from incentivized water-saving initiatives.