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Declining block rates can encourage water conservation
Author(s) -
Sawchuk Lloyd
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8833.1981.tb04630.x
Subject(s) - block (permutation group theory) , water conservation , consumption (sociology) , unit (ring theory) , natural resource economics , resizing , water consumption , economics , consumer demand , business , water use , environmental economics , environmental science , water resource management , microeconomics , international economics , ecology , water resources , european union , sociology , biology , social science , geometry , mathematics , mathematics education
Water consumption is a function of complex interactions of physical, social, and economic influences on individual consumers. In the present era of shrinking budgets and rising costs, curbing consumer demand is increasing in importance. Pricing policies are frequently singled out as a tool to manage that demand. Single unit rates and even inclining block rates are promoted by many would‐be conservationists, while declining block rates are seen as encouraging waste. The author suggests that, given measured tendencies of residential and commercial and industrial consumers, declining rate structures can encourage water conservation.