Water conservation facilitated by phasic feedback through smart devices

Abstract

On average Americans consume 99 gallons of water per person at home each day. This is more than six times the necessary amount of water to have a comfortable life, 13.2 gallons per day. This excess usage results in avoidable stress on water reservoirs, and material and energy resources for the processing and delivery of water. Despite much technological advancement, such as low-flow aerators, household water consumption remains much higher than necessary. The underlying problem is human behavior. To change behavior, researchers have developed and studied a range of intervention systems aimed at creating water conservation. They have achieved savings from 0-28%. These studies were limited by small sample sizes, short deployments, and providing only basic usage feedback. This thesis describes the development and pilot testing of a prototype phasic usage feedback device aimed at creating water conservation at the kitchen sink.