Influences of Public Ecological Awareness and Price on Potable Water Consumption in Geneva

The specific attitudes and behaviour of individuals in a given society must be properly understood in order to develop adequate and relevant public policies regarding water consumption. For this reason, we conducted a survey to measure the perception of the Geneva population regarding the main social aspects of water consumption. Our sample, collected between November 2006 and February 2007, numbers 907 valid questionnaires. We observed that most respondents indicate that they have an ecological awareness regarding their daily consumption of freshwater. However, we also discovered a lack of information, e.g. people are neither able to quantify water price, nor their individual consumption (for drinking, cleaning, washing, etc.). Non-parametrical statistical tests have highlighted a weak correlation between water price increase and consumption. Also, people who directly pay their water bills seem to be more concerned by water consumption than others. This and other elements of perception regarding public water consumption have been analysed with the aim to provide recommendations for better demand management policies.