Increased Support for Drinking Recycled Water
As the discussion of recycled water in the media has increased — a significant change has occurred in people's opinions on drinking recycled water.
There has been a convincing increase in support for drinking recycled water.The greater willingness for people to drink recycled water is due to a number of factors. One important factor is that many people have had positive experiences with recycled water for non-drinking uses.
Other factors that have been found to influence acceptance of recycled water use are: trust in the water authority, perception of fairness in terms of price, belief they are being properly informed, and belief that there is no risk.
Public discussions about our water future are critical in increasing the use of recycled water. Commonly, the discussion unfolds with a few people saying they drank recycled water in London, or that their septic tank used to be located near the dam or well on their farm. Others confess that they once found 10 dead mice in their water tank. They say they don't have a problem with drinking recycled water as they have done it before. It is commonplace that others, originally against the idea, then say that perhaps recycled water is something they just have to get their head around.
So, the way in which the community is engaged, and the way in which its willingness to drink recycled water is elicited is influential. This discussion is addressed more fully in the research conducted by Dr Anna Hurlimann, a senior lecturer in urban planning at the University of Melbourne with a particular research interest in water policy and public attitudes to water.
In the article, People will drink Recycled Water, Dr Hurlimann discusses the different opinions people have on drinking recycled water. Her findings have important public policy implications and indicate that the manner in which agents interact with the public can influence acceptance outcomes. She suggests that community engagement should now focus on better understanding the long-term ecological and economic impacts of desalination. Reducing our demand for all sources of water is paramount in reaching a truly sustainable, long-term and climate-change- resilient approach to water management.
To read, People Will Drink Recycled Water, go to www.theage.com.au
Related Articles
- Water Supply
- Water Quality
- Drinking Water Quality
- Drinking Water Standards
- Desalinization
- Water Resources Management
- Water Reuse
References
Dr Anna Hurlimann, People Will Drink Recycled Water, The Age, 2008
