Investigating urban morphological drivers of household water use in developing economies: A structural equation model approach

Abstract

Urban populations are snowballing, increasing household (HH) water consumption. The growing housing density, the expanding infrastructure, and altered land use patterns place increasing pressure on the water supply and usage. This makes it harder for urban HHs to obtain clean water and worsens water scarcity, with infrastructural and environmental implications for highly populated metropolitan areas. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the impact of urban morphology on household water use in a developing economy using a Structural Equation Model (SEM), specifically within the growing urban centres surrounding Kolkata in South Bengal. The primary hypothesis projects an increase in urban morphological indicators and HH characteristics that significantly affect water use. The findings reveal that increases in urban morphological indicators are associated with a 34.2% decrease in HH water use, highlighting the importance of urban planning strategies that emphasize compact and diverse urban forms. This work highlights new ways of building cities that consider morphological aspects and allow cities to expand in a way that conserves HH water while being resilient to rapid urban change.