THE DETERMINANTS OF PERCEPTIONS OF FAIRNESS IN THE ALLOCATION OF WATER TO MULTIPLE USES

Five water allocation case studies were examined from four states in A ustralia. Issues varied from allocation between irrigators to that of 12 competing uses. The attitudinal and philosophical determinants of t he fairness of the decision making for case studies separately and col lectively were determined for a water-literate community. Agreement wi th general philosophical attitudes, rated importance of philosophical principles in decision making in each case study, and attitudes toward s localized issues could, in combination, clearly discriminate people' s differential perceptions of the fairness. It was also found that the re was consistency in the importance placed on philosophical principle s across the case studies. These principles can be used as a basis for empirical community evaluation of the fairness of decision making in water allocation.