Spatial Variations of Single-Family Residential Water Consumption in Portland, Oregon

Although water demand theories identify price structures, technology, and individual behavior as determinants of water demand, limited theoretical or empirical evidence suggests a link between urban development patterns and water use. To assess the role of urban development patterns on water demand, we used GIS and statistical models to analyze single-family residential water consumption in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. Our results show that residential water consumption per household at the census block group scale is best explained by average building size, followed by building density and building age, with low water consumption areas clustering together and typically located in high-density and older neighborhoods. Accounting for spatial dependence among residuals, explanatory variables explain up to 87% of variations in water consumption. Our results help to develop a water demand framework that incorporates existing factors with urban development policies to more effectively manage limited water and land resources.

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