The effect of social capital on household water consumption: A provincial study

Although Iran is located in an arid and semi-arid region and the average rainfall is less than one third of the global average, but in terms of water consumption is considered one of the most consumed countries as expected in the year will face a physical shortage of water in the future. Since the first step in dealing with the challenges is to identify the subject under study, in this regard, in the present study, the factors affecting domestic water consumption in the provinces of Iran have been identified. Theoretical and empirical evidence shows the effect of strengthening social capital on encouraging people to cooperate in the field of environmental measures. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to investigate the role of social capital in domestic water consumption in the provinces of Iran. In this study, while calculating an index as a proxy for social capital, the effect of social capital on household water consumption has been investigated using panel data. The results show an inverse relationship between social capital and water consumption. In other words, the authorities are able to control water consumption in this area through measures that lead to gaining the trust and cooperation of the people.