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<p>Lebanon faces chronic challenges in water management, where socioeconomic disparities, weak infrastructure, and environmental stressors exacerbate inequities in household water access and consumption. Despite reliance on diverse sources, limited research has examined systematically regional household use patterns and their socioeconomic determinants. This study addresses this gap by analyzing water consumption across nine governorates through a stratified household survey of 3,500 participants, conducted over 12 months and analyzed using SPSS v25.Results reveal stark regional differences: Beirut households report the highest per capita monthly expenditure (USD 57.61) and daily use (195&#xa0;L), reflecting high urban demand and elevated service costs, while northern governorates such as Akkar show severe under-consumption, with 45.19% of households using less than 70&#xa0;L per person per day. Regression analysis confirmed that household income (β = 0.42, <i>p</i> &lt; .001), connection to the public network (β = 0.31, <i>p</i> &lt; .01), and source reliability (OR = 1.87, <i>p</i> &lt; .05) significantly predicted consumption and expenditure. These findings underscore how socioeconomic and infrastructural factors shape both water quantity and affordability, highlighting inequities that undermine sustainability. Based on these insights, the study recommends targeted water management strategies that directly address regional disparities, including infrastructure upgrades, awareness campaigns, and financial incentives for conservation technologies. By linking household-level evidence to policy design, this research contributes to the literature on water demand management in fragile contexts and offers actionable pathways for inclusive and sustainable water governance in Lebanon.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p> <p>This study provides Lebanon’s first nationwide dataset on household water consumption in more than two decades, based on stratified sampling of 3,500 households across nine governorates. The analysis reveals stark regional disparities in daily per capita use and monthly expenditures: Beirut households report the highest costs and consumption (195&#xa0;L per day at $57.61 per month), while Keserwan–Jbeil records the highest overall consumption (221&#xa0;L per day). In contrast, households in the North and Bekaa average only 118&#xa0;L per day, with Baalbak–Hermel incurring the lowest monthly expenditure ($19.78). Severe inequities are evident in Akkar, where nearly half of households consume less than 70&#xa0;L per person per day. These findings highlight the unequal access to reliable and affordable water supplies across Lebanon. In response, the study recommends region-specific strategies: tariff restructuring and efficiency incentives in high-cost urban areas, conservation awareness campaigns in high-consumption regions, infrastructure upgrades in low-consumption governorates, and targeted access improvements in underserved areas such as Akkar. By directly linking household-level evidence to tailored policy actions, this research advances equitable water management and provides a replicable framework for monitoring consumption in data-scarce contexts.</p>

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Socioeconomic Determinants of Household Water Consumption in Lebanon: A Nationwide Stratified Assessment

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月21日

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  • Fatima Abou Abbass,
  • Nathalie Pano,
  • Nada Nehme,
  • Bachar Koubaissy,
  • Rana Sawaya,
  • Rabih Khalife,
  • Jihane Karameh,
  • Khaled Tarawneh,
  • Gamal El Afandi

摘要

Lebanon faces chronic challenges in water management, where socioeconomic disparities, weak infrastructure, and environmental stressors exacerbate inequities in household water access and consumption. Despite reliance on diverse sources, limited research has examined systematically regional household use patterns and their socioeconomic determinants. This study addresses this gap by analyzing water consumption across nine governorates through a stratified household survey of 3,500 participants, conducted over 12 months and analyzed using SPSS v25.Results reveal stark regional differences: Beirut households report the highest per capita monthly expenditure (USD 57.61) and daily use (195 L), reflecting high urban demand and elevated service costs, while northern governorates such as Akkar show severe under-consumption, with 45.19% of households using less than 70 L per person per day. Regression analysis confirmed that household income (β = 0.42, p < .001), connection to the public network (β = 0.31, p < .01), and source reliability (OR = 1.87, p < .05) significantly predicted consumption and expenditure. These findings underscore how socioeconomic and infrastructural factors shape both water quantity and affordability, highlighting inequities that undermine sustainability. Based on these insights, the study recommends targeted water management strategies that directly address regional disparities, including infrastructure upgrades, awareness campaigns, and financial incentives for conservation technologies. By linking household-level evidence to policy design, this research contributes to the literature on water demand management in fragile contexts and offers actionable pathways for inclusive and sustainable water governance in Lebanon.

Graphical Abstract

This study provides Lebanon’s first nationwide dataset on household water consumption in more than two decades, based on stratified sampling of 3,500 households across nine governorates. The analysis reveals stark regional disparities in daily per capita use and monthly expenditures: Beirut households report the highest costs and consumption (195 L per day at $57.61 per month), while Keserwan–Jbeil records the highest overall consumption (221 L per day). In contrast, households in the North and Bekaa average only 118 L per day, with Baalbak–Hermel incurring the lowest monthly expenditure ($19.78). Severe inequities are evident in Akkar, where nearly half of households consume less than 70 L per person per day. These findings highlight the unequal access to reliable and affordable water supplies across Lebanon. In response, the study recommends region-specific strategies: tariff restructuring and efficiency incentives in high-cost urban areas, conservation awareness campaigns in high-consumption regions, infrastructure upgrades in low-consumption governorates, and targeted access improvements in underserved areas such as Akkar. By directly linking household-level evidence to tailored policy actions, this research advances equitable water management and provides a replicable framework for monitoring consumption in data-scarce contexts.