The Use of Non-pricing Instruments to Manage Residential Water Demand: What Have We Learned?

Given the high costs of developing new water supply projects, there is increased interest in demand-side management (DSM) involving measures aimed at promoting residential water conservation. In this chapter, we focus on the main DSM policy options not related to pricing and assess their impact on residential water consumption based on a survey of empirical studies. We look at the advantages and disadvantages of each policy in detail, analysing the relations and interactions between pricing and non-pricing policies.