The influence of individuals in forming collective 1 household preferences for water quality

4 Preference for water quality and its nonmarket valuation can be used to inform the development of 5 pricing policies and long term supply strategies. Tap water quality is a household concern. The 6 objective status quo varies between households and not between individuals within households, 7 while charges are levied on households not individuals. Individual preferences differ from 8 collective preferences. In households where there are two adults, we examine the preferences of 9 each separately and then as a couple in collective decisions. We show the level of influence each 10 has in developing the collective decision process. We use discrete choice experiments to model 11 preference heterogeneity across three experiments on women, men and on both. We propose a 12 random utility model which decomposes the error structure in the utility of alternatives so as to 13 identify the individual influence in collective decisions. This approach to choice data analysis is 14 new to environmental economics. 15 16