Application of Gini, Theil and concentration indices for assessing water use inequality

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 1335-1347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Malakar ◽  
Trupti Mishra

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose the application of Gini, Theil and concentration indices for measuring inequality in water usage. Design/methodology/approach Gini coefficients and Theil indices have been used to estimate the overall inequality in domestic water use in a sample of 30 countries around the world. Along with Theil’s L (unweighted) index, liters per capita per day and gross national income weighted Theil index have also been estimated. Theil indices have been further disintegrated into within- and between-group inequalities. Concentration curve is also constructed to study the inequality in water use in accordance to the countries’ economic standing. Findings Domestic water use is high among the well-off countries considered in the study. Also, the Theil indices indicate that between group inequality contributes more to the overall inequality. It is observed that Theil indices, which consider only per capita water usage and can be decomposed, give a better insight into the existing inequality. Practical implications Different approaches were used to quantify inequality. The choice of index depends on the context of the study. The proposed approaches can contribute to planning of sustainable water management and development policies. Originality/value There is a dearth of metrics for quantifying inequality in water access or use. The study presents the application of indices, widely used in quantifying inequality in access to other resources such as income and energy, in assessing water inequality.

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenge Zhang ◽  
Xianzeng Du ◽  
Anqi Huang ◽  
Huijuan Yin

Proper water use requires its monitoring and evaluation. An indexes system of overall water use efficiency is constructed here that covers water consumption per 10,000 yuan GDP, the coefficient of effective utilization of irrigation water, the water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial value added, domestic water consumption per capita of residents, and the proportion of water function zone in key rivers and lakes complying with water-quality standards and is applied to 31 provinces in China. Efficiency is first evaluated by a projection pursuit cluster model. Multidimensional efficiency data are transformed into a low-dimensional subspace, and the accelerating genetic algorithm then optimizes the projection direction, which determines the overall efficiency index. The index reveals great variety in regional water use, with Tianjin, Beijing, Hebei, and Shandong showing highest efficiency. Shanxi, Liaoning, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Henan, Shanxi, and Gansu also use water with high efficiency. Medium efficiency occurs in Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Hainan, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Low efficiency is found for Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Xinjiang. Tibet is the least efficient. The optimal projection direction is a* = (0.3533, 0.7014, 0.4538, 0.3315, 0.1217), and the degree of influence of agricultural irrigation efficiency, water consumption per industrial profit, water used per gross domestic product (GDP), domestic water consumption per capita of residents, and environmental water quality on the result has decreased in turn. This may aid decision making to improve overall water use efficiency across China.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 73-80
Author(s):  
Mohan Bikram Shrestha ◽  
Udhab Raj Khadka

The water footprint is consumption-based indicator of water use. Water footprint is defined as the total volume of both indirect and the direct freshwater used for producing goods and services consumed by individuals or inhabitants of community. There are many studies regarding the direct water use but studies incorporating both direct and indirect water use is deficient. This study tries to estimate total volume of water based on the consumption pattern of different commodities by individuals of Kathmandu Metropolitan city using extended water footprint calculator. The average water footprint of individuals appears to be 1145.52 m3/yr. The indirect and direct water footprint appears to be 1070.82 Mm3/yr and 46.59 Mm3/yr respectively which cumulatively give the total water footprint of Kathmandu Metropolitan City of 1117.40 Mm3/yr. This volume is equal to 2.27 times the annual flow the River Bagmati. The indirect water footprint includes food water footprint of 1055.60 Mm3/yr or 2.14 times the annual flow and industrial water use of 15.22 Mm3/yr or 0.03 times the annual flow while the direct water footprint includes domestic water use of 46.59 Mm3/yr or 0.09 times the annual flow. In food water footprint, cereals consumption shared the highest contribution of 34.82% followed by meat consumption with share of 32.62% in total water footprint. Per capita per day water use of inhabitants appears to be 3138 liters which includes water use in food items of 2965 liters, industrial water use of 43 liters and domestic water use of 131 liters. The per capita per day domestic water use is 90 liters more than supplement of 41 liters by the water operator of Kathmandu Valley. Per capita per day domestic water use is already 5 liters more than expected improvement in water supplement of 126 liters per capita per day in 2025 after accomplishment of Melamchi water project. And, it is expected to increase further observing the rapid urbanization of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. The study showed water footprint of individuals is directly related to food consumption behavior, life style and services used therefore it is necessary to initiate water offsetting measures at individual level and water operator to find environmentally sustainable alternatives along with ongoing water project to fulfill demand. J. Nat. Hist. Mus. Vol. 28, 2014: 73-80


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2868
Author(s):  
Brian D. Richter ◽  
Kendall Benoit ◽  
Jesse Dugan ◽  
Gabriella Getacho ◽  
Natalie LaRoe ◽  
...  

Many cities in the western US face difficult challenges in trying to secure water supplies for rapidly growing urban populations in the context of intensifying water scarcity. We obtained annual data from urban water utilities across the western US to document trends in their water usage and service populations. We found that many cities have been able to accommodate population increases while simultaneously reducing their volume of water use, thereby decoupling growth from water use. This outcome is largely attributable to reductions in per-capita residential use. We identify additional untapped potential that can sustain and widen this decoupling for many cities.


Author(s):  
R. Fornarelli ◽  
M. Anda ◽  
S. Dallas ◽  
G. M. Morrison

Abstract Hybrid water systems (HWSs) are emerging as an alternative decentralised and cost-effective approach for urban water management. Although continuous monitoring is recognised as an essential step to inform the planning and design of water services, a knowledge gap has been identified in the integration of water use monitoring, HWSs and community participation. This research compares water practices of households with and without HWSs, integrating both quantitative and qualitative data. Water use data were collected at selected households via smart meters at 30 minutes intervals. R computing software was used for data analytics and dashboard visualisation. Qualitative data on water practices was collected through one-to-one interviews, on-line surveys and community workshops. On a per capita basis, sites with HWSs have a 20% lower total water demand and 41% lower mains water demand than sites without HWSs. Depending on the level of sophistication of the installed HWS, the reduction of mains water use across the participants ranged from 20% to as high as 80%. Almost all sites with HWSs were able to meet the state government targets (40–60 kL/person/y) on annual per capita mains water usage. The seasonality of rainwater supply versus the weather-independent supply of greywater was observed in the data. The qualitative data collected during community engagement highlighted the importance of establishing a personal connection between the individual and the water resource and of involving the resident in the different stages of harvesting, using and disposing of water. This is expected to contribute to a higher perceived value of the water resources by improving awareness, making knowledge more accessible, improving the transparency between the community needs and the water utility decisions. To this end, the role of digital technologies in the water sector plays a role in assisting with the paradigm shift from centralised water networks to an integrated and community-empowered, centralised-hybrid water system.


Water Policy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 1182-1199
Author(s):  
Yanhu He ◽  
Zhuliang Lin ◽  
Xiaohong Chen

Abstract With a service for the most developed economy and dense population in China, the water use of Guangdong province shows distinct regional difference and is subject to multiple driving forces. The regional differences of total water use (TWU) and water use efficiency (WUE) for Guangdong province and its four sub-regions (i.e. Pearl River Dealt region (PRD), Eastern Wing (YD), Western Wing (YX), and Northern Mountain Region (YB)) were quantified by Theil index, and the influence of various variables on WUE was evaluated through multiple linear regression (MLR) models. Overall, Theil index of TWU showed a decreasing trend whereas Theil index of WUE increased in recent decades, suggesting that Guangdong province has experienced an enlarging regional difference of WUE along with a gradually weakened regional difference of TWU. The PRD has the most significant regional differences of WUE and TWU and accounts for a predominated proportion in the total regional difference. Theil indexes of GDP of industry, per capita GDP and per capita value-added by agriculture had positive regression coefficients and were found to have the most significant impact on the regional difference of WUE. This study has the potential to promote a balanced and coordinated regional development in terms of even regional WUE and TWU.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloé Meyer

This layer presents estimations of the mean annual water footprint of national consumption per capita for the period 1996-2005. The water footprint is a measure of human’s appropriation of freshwater resources; it has three components: green, blue and grey. Estimations are given in cubic meter per capita per year. In the table, data are also available disaggregated per sectors: agricultural production, industrial production and domestic water use. A detailed description of the methodology and results can be found in the main report available here: http://temp.waterfootprint.org/Reports/Report50-NationalWaterFootprints-Vol1.pdf . For more information, visit the Water Footprint Network website: http://temp.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/WaterStat Cost Use/Reuse


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 400-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.G.A.S. Waidyasekara ◽  
Lalith De Silva ◽  
Raufdeen Rameezdeen

Purpose Water conservationists have been promoting a hierarchy of measures to preserve water resources in the face of decreasing freshwater availability in the world. However, applicability of water hierarchy to the construction industry is yet to be investigated. To fill this knowledge gap, the purpose of this paper is to investigate water usage, water use efficiency, and conservation measures relevant to the construction operations. Design/methodology/approach A triangulation-based mixed-methods approach was adopted for the collection and analysis of data. First, four case studies were carried out to explore the current practices and the possibilities of applying the water hierarchy to the construction operations. This was followed by a questionnaire survey, administered among construction professionals to obtain their views and to verify the findings of case studies. Findings Strategies such as reuse and recycling were found to be less applicable and least preferred by the construction professionals compared to reduce, replace, and eliminate. Based on the research findings, three enabling measures, namely, regulation, responsibility, and reward, were found to enhance the effectiveness of these conservation strategies. Practical implications Knowledge on preferences of different water conservation measures among the construction professionals and their effectiveness on construction site could help the construction companies to device strategies to mitigate water wastage and enhance water use efficiency. It could also help policy-makers to develop guidelines that would have higher probability of acceptance among construction stakeholders. Originality/value The study proposes an extended water hierarchy (3R.6R) by integrating three enabling measures discussed above for the construction project sites.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 405-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Omondi-Ochieng

Purpose – This study aims to examine the association between national economic prosperity (measured by per capita gross national income – GNI) and the acquisition of football workers (indicated by number of amateur footballers, football officials and professional footballers) and predict football performances (specified by qualifications at continental football championships) based on per capita GNI and football workers. Design/methodology/approach – Archival data of 203 national football teams were utilized based on continental football championship records before 2014. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to build various models to ascertain their predictive values. Economically prosperous nations are those with a per capita GNI of more than US$10,000, and unprosperous nations are those with per capita GNI of less than US$10,000. Findings – The analysis indicated that per capita GNI was significantly and positively associated with the acquisition of football workers – but not predictive of football performance. Rather football officials and professionals emerged to be the key predictors of football performance and not per capita GNI. The final model predicted 73.1 and 74.2 per cent of performance and non-performance, respectively, of national football teams correctly. Research limitations – The findings were largely restricted to quantitative archival data for the last continental championships. However, future research may benefit from using qualitative interviews, questionnaires and or ethnographic studies of players, teams and or managers. Practical implications – The results revealed that economic prosperity positively influences the acquisition of football resources (here – in football workers). Specifically, targeted production of football workers, such as the acquisition of a large number of effective professional footballers and officials, can boost football performance – and not merely economic prosperity. Originality/value – Actual football-specific human capital (and not general population) was used in predicting continental football qualifications – a factor uncommon in such studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 10071
Author(s):  
Saret Bun ◽  
Sreymao Sek ◽  
Chantha Oeurng ◽  
Manabu Fujii ◽  
Phaly Ham ◽  
...  

To propose an efficient system for addressing water scarcity in a rural area through groundwater use, the information on water consumption and interpretation of groundwater quality are essential for estimating the optimal preparation of the comprehensive water system. Hence, this study aimed to estimate the current household domestic water consumption and groundwater quality index of currently accessed wells in a small rural community of Preyveng province, Cambodia as a practical and beneficial as well as a model for the water resource sector in rural areas. The questionnaire survey was designed as the main instrument for collecting the household water use as face-to-face interviews. The result showed that the average daily water consumption in the Preal commune is about 71 L per capita, which is almost two times lower than the minimum water quantity recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), 150 L/day per capita. Moreover, 100% of the households in this commune heavily rely on groundwater wells for domestic water use and more than 50% confirmed that they used raw groundwater as drinking water without a proposer treatment system. Approximately 70% of the people in Preal wishes to have a clean water supply and more than 80% of the household had a positive willingness to pay for clean water supply. In terms of groundwater quality in the Preal commune, it is mainly contaminated by iron, arsenic, fluoride, and manganese, which are mainly associated with human health effects from daily consumption. About 75% of groundwater wells are presented in poor conditions and were unsuitable for drinking purposes. Lastly, the suitable water treatment and supply should be considered in order to reduce the effects on people’s health as well as to improve living conditions.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Najet Guefradj

This layer represents estimation of the mean annual blue water footprint of national consumption for the period 1996-2005. The water footprint is a measure of human’s appropriation of freshwater resources. The blue water footprint refers to consumption of blue water resources (surface and ground water). Estimations are given in cubic meter per capita per year. In the table, data are also available disaggregated per sectors: agricultural production, industrial production and domestic water use. A detailed description of the methodology and results can be found in the main report available here: http://temp.waterfootprint.org/Reports/Report50-NationalWaterFootprints-Vol1.pdf . For more information, visit the Water Footprint Network website: http://temp.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/WaterStat Agriculture Supply Use/Reuse


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