Abstract:

The characteristic of domestic water consumption is an important indicator for the calculation of pollution load and wastewater treatment design in rural area. Taking Fangqian village, Dingshu Town, Yixing City, Jiangsu Province as an example, the characteristics of domestic water consumption were investigated through field visits and questionnaires in rural areas of Taihu Lake. The influencing factors were analyzed as well. Results showed that the main water resource in the study area was tap water (84.7 L/d per person), which accounted for 77% of the total water consumption. The consumption for laundry water increased significantly with seasonal change and temperature increase, in contrast, the flushing water consumption decreased obviously. The amount of water used in kitchen showed limited variation. The habit developed by the residents to reuse laundry water for flushing possibly explained this phenomenon. Higher education and income levels resulted in an improvement of hygienic habit, and tap water was widely used. Water consumption of residents with yearly earning at 50-200 thousand yuan was not so sensitive to the increment of living expenses. Water consumption of people aging from 25 to 40 was higher than that of other age groups because of a better economic condition and health concerns.

Key words: Characteristics of Water Consumption, Rural Areas, Domestic Water, Influencing Factors, Taihu Lake, Tap Water