ABSTRACT This paper explores the impact of social inequality on household water use in urban communities in first-world contexts, an under researched field. We report on an in-depth qualitative study of six communities in two Australian cities to determine the connections between levels of social advantage and household approaches to water use. The different meanings, materials and understandings that underpin domestic water use in each of these communities are documented. We found these elements were influenced by socio-economic status alongside broader systems and infrastructures, technologies and biophysical influences in each city context. Socially advantaged communities used water for leisure and luxury while disadvantaged communities struggled to meet their health and welfare needs. We propose that there is a social gradient in urban water use, which influences the types of sustainability and levels of resilience and liveability people can achieve in cities. The implications for ensuring socially inclusive urban sustainability are discussed.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚城市的社会不平等和用水：家庭用水的社会梯度

摘要 本文探讨了社会不平等对第一世界背景下城市社区家庭用水的影响，这是一个研究不足的领域。我们报告了对澳大利亚两个城市的六个社区的深入定性研究，以确定社会优势水平与家庭用水方法之间的联系。支持这些社区中每一个家庭用水的不同含义、材料和理解都被记录在案。我们发现这些元素受到社会经济地位的影响，以及每个城市环境中更广泛的系统和基础设施、技术和生物物理影响。社会优势社区将水用于休闲和奢侈，而弱势社区则努力满足他们的健康和福利需求。我们认为，城市用水存在社会梯度，这会影响人们在城市中可以实现的可持续性类型以及复原力和宜居性水平。讨论了确保具有社会包容性的城市可持续性的影响。