Entrepreneursʹ behaviour in water management

Although there are sufficient technical means for preventing waste water from becoming seriously polluted, in practice the implementation of preventive measures lags far behind the possibilities. Many reasons can be suggested for this, such as ignorance and economic uncertainties, but very little research, if any, has been carried out into the way in which entrepreneursʹ behaviour can be influenced in practical situations. In a pilot study in The Netherlands, carried out by the Energy and Environmental Research study group at the University of Leiden, the Institute for Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment (RIZA) investigated the attitudes within garage firms, the environmental aspects of management in garages regarding the working procedures within the firms, and in what way they are influenced by the social environment. To objectify attitudes and behaviour, the actual quality of the waste water was examined at the same time. This survey suggests that there is a great deal to be improved. However, in order to achieve this the entire section of industry must be influenced.