Abstract
South Africa’s water resources are constantly under pressure as a result of severe weather
conditions, pollution, destruction of wetlands and a growing population. Although efforts to
increase awareness of water conservation have been implemented, household usage continues to
rise. Previous studies have highlighted the major issues militating against water conservation
behaviour, but more research is necessary in the South African context. The purpose of this study,
therefore, was to understand the impact of living habits on water conservation behaviour among
Gauteng residents, using a research model that integrates living habits into the Theory of
Reasoned Action (TRA). Data for empirical testing of the proposed research model was obtained
from the responses of 347 respondents in Gauteng. The empirical results of the analysis indicate
that respondents’ habits and intention to conserve water have significant and positive effects on
water conservation behaviour. The results further reveal that attitude, subjective norm and living
habits exert a significant and positive influence on intention to conserve water. The implications
of these findings for strategies aimed at water conservation among consumers in the province and
others in similar contexts are presented.