Resumo

Water conservation and drought conditions are closely intermingled (Echeverría, 2020). Managing water demand by reducing water consumption and improving water use efficiency has become essential for ensuring water security (Aldirawi, Souter & Beal, 2019). As water scarcity intensifies in many regions, there is a current interest shift, from just emphasis on water supply to a more balanced vision considering demand as well, though water demand management (Al-Zahrani et al, 2013).

It is a common sense in the literature, that water consumption is driven by many factors.This study aims to present an overview regarding recent research on the factors that influence water consumption behavior, considering the scenario of global water availability changes.

Psychologic factors for water consumption behavior are those linked to perception of water rights, environmental threats, social desirability, beliefs, attitudes, and emotions that may impact household practices around water consumption (Radonic, 2019; Ibáñez-Rueda, Gaurdiola & González-Gómez, 2022). In the literature from former years, psychologic factors, along with socio-economic factors, were the more common focus of different studies (Martínez-Espinera & García-Valinas, 2013; Mankad, Walton & Gardner, 2019).

It is important to explore the differences in the demand-side management on the literature from the country-of-origin perspective. There are numerous studies in developed countries where there is a water consumption decrease trend (Tsuda, Nishida & Irie, 2014; Sauri, 2019). From the diversity of themes addressed in our literature review, one may say that understanding of what shapes water conservation behaviors is rather complex. Also, the factors that shape water consumption are considerably mingled, as our analysis shows.

The comprehension of water household’s consumption behaviors must consider a row of factors that this research tries to clarify: psychologic, technologies, context, awareness, social demographic and applied policies. It is not right to analyze each topic apart, once their relation is what determines water consumption behavior. The literature is still poor on studies on water consumption behavior on developing countries, where water scarcity is becoming a frequent problematic issue. This review also points out that exploring this matter is urgent.

AL-ZAHRANI, K., BAIG, M. & STRAQUADINE G. (2013) Consumption behavior and Water Demand Management in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Implications for extension and education. Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research, 31(2/3), 79-89. VALLÈS-CASAS, M. MARCH, H. SAURÍ, D. (2017) Examining the reduction in potable water consumption by households in Catalonia (Spain): Structural and contingent factors. Applied Geography, 87: 234-244. MARTÍNEZ-ESPIÑEIRA R., GARCÍA-VALIÑAS M.A. (2013) Adopting versus adapting: Adoption of water-saving technology versus water conservation habits in Spain.