Impact of Demographic Change and Urban Consolidation on Domestic Water Use – WSAA Occasional Paper No 15

WSAA Occasional Paper No 15

June 2005

In the past much public comment has accompanied the prospect of significant further urban consolidation in Australian cities. Many commentators have suggested that demographic changes would lead to smaller households and in turn, the inevitable result of smaller households would be denser dwelling styles with a resultant lower per capita demand for water (based on the premise that external water use would be dramatically reduced or eliminated).

The purpose of this study was to test the evidence of this rationale and the extent to which changes in housing type would compensate, at least in part, for the expected growth in population in our major cities.

Impact of Demographic Change and Urban Consolidation on Domestic Water Use