Does it Matter for Water Conservation?

Public vs Private: Does it Matter for Water Conservation? Insights from California

By: G. Kallis, I. Ray, J. Fulton, J.E. McMahon

In this report, researchers in California evaluate three questions:

1. Does the public view private and public utilities differently, and if so, does this affect attitudes to conservation?
2. Do public and private utilities differ in their approaches to conservation?
3. Do differences in the approaches of the utilities, if any, relate to differences in public attitudes?

Based on their survey, the report explains that, overall, California’s public utilities appear more proactive and target-oriented in asking their customers to conserve than their private counterparts.