Household preferences for cyber-attack resilient water distribution networks: A latent class analysis of a discrete choice experiment in France

Increasing concern over cyber-resilience has generated new research questions for policy and practice from both technical and economic viewpoints. In particular, the acknowledged importance of the adaptive behaviour of citizens when confronted with unexpected events requires an improved understanding of preferences for measures that seek to enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure. This paper aims to contribute to this growing body of research by elicitating the preferences of Eurometropolis of Strasbourg (France) inhabitants for greater resilience of their water distribution system to cyber-attacks. It relies on a Discrete Choice Experiment survey. The results of the latent class model show that two classes of respondents exhibit diametrically-opposed preferences. The majority display a high WTP to benefit from a shorter duration of restrictions on water consumption for drinking and cooking and for services for vulnerable people. The remainder, who are younger and less environmentally conscious, do not value the same attributes and, when this happens, their WTP has a negative coefficient. Risk-aversion, knowledge and information are among the variables that help to explain the heterogeneous nature of preferences. Tailored and targeted communication campaigns could therefore prove useful to increase users’ awareness and understanding of the underlying issues and thereby the public commitment to and acceptability of the resilience policies leading to their successful implementation. Our work provides important information for decision-makers and will help in the choice between a public protection policy that improves crisis response and one that promotes ex-ante measures aimed at reducing impacts.