VIRTUAL Barcelona Livable Cities

Abstract

Water resources are essential for socioeconomic growth, continuity of life and sustainable development. However, smaller cities with diminishing resources face a contingency with urban sustainability. Furthermore, the ongoing effects of climate change will have a direct correlation with temperature and rainfall variability, increasing stressors to the water system which will disrupt the socioeconomic environment and make water resource management more critical than ever. This study examines household’s willingness to instal water meter in their premises in the City of Corner Brook located in western province of Newfoundland and Labrador where residents pay their water bill on a fixed fee per annum rather pay by consumption, which may lead to over-consumption within the households, making this existing approach environmentally unsustainable. Using a binary choice model, we examined factors that influence residents’ water meter adaptation. The findings show that age, public knowledge on water meter installation cost and water use per capita at the provincial level, and the importance of water preservation had positive impact, whereas larger families, education, and satisfaction with the status quo of pricing system has negative impact on households’ decisions in the water meter installation. To achieve a lower water consumption, sustainable use of resources and maintain climate resilient objectives, urban planning needs to incorporate water meters. This research addresses the need for adaptive strategies regarding urban sustainability by connecting local findings and global challenges which emphasize the role of effective water management in facing climate change impact.