Water Use and Related Costs at Households in Western and Northern Parts of India

This article elaborates a survey on water use events and activities in households. The survey inquires socioeconomic aspects, technology, processes and devices which may play an important role in these water use events. Processes like washing clothes and utensils, cooking refrigeration and heating are discussed. Devices like water purifiers, air-coolers, and toilets are qualitatively analyzed. Water use events such as bathing and brushing teeth are studied. The survey in online format and printed version was randomly responded by one hundred sixty people including fifty three family heads within city of Jodhpur, India. More than hundred respondents answered the online questionnaire from Mandi in north India, Delhi, the national capital territory and Jodhpur in west India. More than ninety per cent of the respondents were males. Climate of the regions mentioned above played a decisive role in water consumption. The general public was very much unaware of the policies of the government towards water conservation and management. Advertisements by vendors were found to misguide consumers providing importance to aesthetic features rather than technical specification. The implications of this study helps in becoming environmentally aware of how human actions affect the management of water and related energy use at households.