Media Release
November 8, 2006
Why water restrictions won’t work
UniSA’s
Associate Professor Jacques Metzer is not surprised that South
Australians are still not curbing their water use, despite restrictions
to offset the effects of Australia’s worst drought.
In the second week of restrictions, South Australians used 450
gigalitres more water than the state’s weekly average over the past five
years.
Prof Metzer says this phenomenon can be explained by a simple
behavioural effect, commonly referred to as the “punishment contrast
effect”.
“The ‘punishment contrast effect’ occurs after periods of punishment or
threatened punishment. During these non-punishment periods, there is
often an increase in the behaviour. This increased behaviour is at a
greater level than before the punishment periods, hence the term
‘contrast’,” says Prof Metzer.
“So to make sure people get their perceived fair share of water, they
are watering their gardens in the times they have been allocated (the
non-punishment periods). However, now, many are over-watering.”
Prof Metzer says behaviour incentive methods are the best way to
conserve water, because these produce long-lasting behaviour change, in
contrast to the temporary effects of punishments.
He suggests these alternative ways to saving water:
• Implement a user-pays principle
“People use what they want but this will be on a sliding scale upwards
at the high end. Most people will avoid the upper end of use and pay
only for the water they consume. No property valuation or other
distracting irrelevancy should be used on water bills.”
• Provide more self monitoring facilities
“The evidence is strong that this alone will bring about a reduction in
use. Brisbane City Council is experimenting with this principle in water
use control by private residences.”
• Run a Government-sponsored innovation/invention competition
“Entrants and winners can be rewarded. Creativity will encourage
critical engagement through rewards rather than punishments.”
• Give rewards to people who achieve certain targeted reductions
“These can be monetary (water bill reduction) or other, eg. community
recognition.”
• Encourage households to adopt different methods of catching, storing
and recycling of water.
“This can be done through various incentive and reward systems.”
Prof Metzer believes water restrictions are another example of the State
government’s knee-jerk punitive reactions to social and criminal
problems, such as increasing fines or sentence lengths.
And with even tougher restrictions being threatened, Prof Metzer has a
warning.
“While tougher restrictions may temporarily suppress water use, the
evidence suggests many people will find ways around the restrictions,
and water use will increase again. Imposing fines and warnings will make
people think of and employ avoidance measures for fines.”
Prof Metzer says it could give rise to new social and criminal problems,
as people find new and illegal ways around the restrictions.
“When people are involuntarily deprived, black markets can flourish. The
water (legal or illegal) must still come from somewhere.”
Contact for interview
-
Associate Professor Jacques Metzer office (08) 8302 2275 email jack.metzer@unisa.edu.au
Media contact
- Rebecca Gill office (08) 8302 0096 mobile 0404 85 7977 email rebecca.gill@unisa.edu.au