Waste water preferences in rural towns across north-east Victoria: a choice modelling approach.

Water quality, availability, environmental health and sustainability have now developed into significant national political issues in Australia (Taylor & Dalton 2003). These issues are intensified by the limited research surrounding alternative solutions that meet environmental and health requirements and the extent to which the attitudes to these alternatives differ between consumers. This article empirically verifies the preferences of consumers for improved waste water services in small rural towns in Victoria, Australia. More specifically, this research employs a conjoint technique known as choice modelling (CM) to explore decisions by consumers to upgrade their existing waste water service. The choice data assembled in this analysis has revealed valuable insights into the behaviour of consumers in rural north-east Victoria. More specifically, consumers are willing to pay for a waste water service that improves the current state of the environment, enables the householder to build or subdivide, and reduces the level of on-going responsibility required to maintain the service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]