Orange County Water District Funds Two-Year Research Project By UCR Environmental Economists

Two environmental economists at the University of California, Riverside have been awarded a $184,000 grant by the Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD) to evaluate what motivates homeowners to reduce water use, and which conservation programs are most cost-effective.

Researchers Kurt Schwabe and Ken Baerenklau – both associate professors of environmental economics and policy in the UCR School of Public Policy – will identify agency, household, environmental and community-level factors that influence water-conservation decisions and outcomes among single-family residential households in the Orange County water district.

MNWD was formed in 1960 and provides water, recycled water and wastewater service to approximately 170,000 people in the cities of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo and Dana Point.

The two-year study, “Analysis of Water Conservation Drivers for Effective Water Management,” will focus on current district incentives to conserve water such as turf removal, installation of synthetic turf, and purchase of high-efficiency/front-load washers and high-efficiency/low-flow toilets.

About UC Riverside
The University of California, Riverside is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 21,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1B. A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. For more information, visit www.ucr.edu.