Ambiente & Sociedade (Mar 2016)
The perception of users about the impacts of water rationing on their household routines
Abstract
Read online Read online Read online Read online
Abstract In water scarcity situations, water rationing is a management measure taken in order to ensure equitable access to water. The current study presents some factors that contribute to a situation of water injustice in Campina Grande, a city located in the Brazilian semiarid region, which has been facing a new drought cycle since 2012. The water supply conditions in the households and the users' perceptions about the impacts on their water use routines were monitored for 6 months. Two variables were considered: household income and water shortage risk. Among the main conclusions, the following stand out: (1) the higher the household income is, the higher the water storage capacity and the lower the impacts on the household routines; (2) the poorest sections of the population tend to naturalize the restrictive impacts of the water rationing since they have experienced and lived in a permanent state of water saving.
Keywords