The consumer’s perspective

A majority of homeowners in three states said they are concerned about the appearance of their yard and would invest in water-efficient equipment if it was less expensive.

That’s according to results from a study conducted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences in 2014, in which the group asked 3,000 homeowners in Florida, Texas and California about water use. All homeowners surveyed used irrigation systems on their properties.

The survey was conducted by Hayk Khachatryan, a faculty member at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka, Florida, and his post-doctoral research associate, Alicia Rihn.

When it came to the factors that would motivate the homeowners to reduce water use, reducing the price of water-efficient equipment came out as the most effective strategy. That was followed by more practical information on household water conservation and easier identification of water-efficient appliances.

But, while the homeowners wanted to pay less to save water, 64 percent of respondents were willing to spend more for better quality water.

Of that 64 percent, 26 percent said they’d pay less than 5 percent more while 8 percent were willing to pay more than 15 percent.

For complete results of the survey, visit http://bit.ly/wateruf.