J. ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS, Vol. 20(2) 157-168, 1990-91 zyxw PREDICTING WATER CONSUMPTION FROM HOMEOWNERS' ATTITUDES zyxw GEOFFREY J. SYME zyxwvu Division of Water Resources Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization CLIVE SELIGMAN University of Western Ontario JOHN F. THOMAS Division of Water Resources Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization ABSTRACT zyxwv Previous research has failed to find a significant correlation between attitudes and water consumption. We believe this result has occurred because the earlier studies measured attitudes during drought conditions and used self- report measures that are unreliable. The present research studied a sample of 333 households in Perth, Australia, measured the homeowners' attitudes during a drought-free period, and collected actual, household water consump- tion data for an entire year. The results showed that attitudes pertaining to the importance of the garden as a house investment and a source of recreation were significant predictors of water use, as were homeowners' attitudes toward the current cost of water. The results are consistent with other research that shows that specific attitudes are correlated with resource consumption. The respondents' attitudes toward the economic implications of their water consumption were discussed with regard to conservation appeals. The supply and quality of water required to meet a variety of human needs are threatened. Problems of water pollution, endangered aquatic ecosystems, irrigated agriculture, and the like are well known. Water policies that evolve to meet this management challenge are complex and subject to political forces from business, agriculture, public interest groups, and government [1]. To be successful, water 157 © 1991, Baywood Publishing Co., Inc. doi: 10.2190/FNV4-VCV2-L1T9-4R62 http://baywood.com