Water Treatment
AWWA explores new communications strategy During an issues identification/ communication strategy session,
held recently in Chicago,30 key lea ders ofAWWA focused on the lack of
public confidence in water supplies and in the safety of drinking water. The group determined that in order
for the water supply community to improve its image, a two-way com munication strategy with the public could be very effective. Communication strategist Dr.
Peter Sandman of Rutgers University led the group in coming to the conclu sion that minimizing the possible health risks for drinking water, dis missing community reactions as irrational, and treating the public as if it were unable to understand the
scientific aspects of risk were not effective ways to achieve public con fidence. "One-way communication may be leading to an outraged public and stricter government regulation.''
Dr. Sandman's presentation argued that public reaction is foster ed more by outrage (non-technical factors) than by hazard (scientific data). For example, when people don't have choices, they become angry. People feel safer with risks that are natural versus industrial.
Less outrage is generated from a risk that is familiar than one that is not.
And the list goes on. By ignoring the outrage factors, utilities may have overlooked a critical factor in
building public confidence.
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The AWWA Public Information
Department is encouraging utilities to begin to recognize outrage, i.e., public feelings, and use a two-way communication process with the public. The Blue Thumb campaign can assist utilities in this process by opening the door for dialogue. It provides an opportunity for utilities to show how they safeguard and manage water and protect public
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"One-way communication may be leading to an outraged public and stricter government regulation."
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mental and water problems. Here are some tips to help you begin to incorporate public involve ment components into your com munication programs:
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• When interacting with the public, recognize the importance of com munity input. In short, recognize that their opinions are as important as yours.
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• To the extent possible, involve the community in the decision-making process. After all, you need their support for rate hikes. They'll be more likely to vote with you if you concern to the entire community. • Identify and respond to the needs of different audiences. Although "public" is a collective word, there are in fact, many publics, each affected differently by an issue. Don't avoid environmental and pub lic interest groups just because they have been adversaries in the past. These organizations should be iden tified and spoken with about their concerns. You may find more com mon ground on source protection and other issues than you think.
Environmental Science & Engineering, July 1992