Public Awareness and Water Conservation Success Go Hand in Hand
Water is a dry subject. There, I said it. Now we can move on.
The truth is, most customers don’t want to hear about the water resources planning, treatment process, and infrastructure needed to get water to their tap. They just count on tap water being there. They care when a lack of water impacts their lives—when it isn’t there.
But that’s the whole point of water conservation public awareness programs—to point out that a water-saving lifestyle is a sensible thing that avoids a negative future impact on our grandchildren. In Phoenix, we let customers know that it’s a personal choice—a smart choice—the right thing to do. We ask customers to get to the most basic level regarding water conservation: think about water, every time you use it, and use it responsibly.
We also take the time to let customers know the big picture—that is, the condition of our overall water supply and multiple resources utilized, as well as the positive effects of water conservation. We let them know that our drought management and water resources plans look far into the future. In other words, it’s not just dumb luck that Phoenix has not had to impose water-use restrictions during more than a decade of drought. Why? Because drought in the desert has little to do with a water supply that comes primarily from snow up north and east of Phoenix.
We don’t skimp on the details either. We give the standard hints about how to save water, plus some very specific ones, in case customers are really listening. We let them know that many businesses use the most water-efficient methods available, bring tourists to the region, and help lower taxes. We let them know that developers incorporate Arizona desert-friendly plants into many new landscapes.
Plus, Phoenix uses any and all avenues that can transport these messages to our customers. Do they pay attention? They must, because Phoenix’s per-person use of water has decreased by about 20% in the last 20 years, about as long as the city has had a water conservation office.
Chances are, at some point, many of our 1.5 million customers will eventually see or hear the multitude of English and Spanish messages through media interviews, public service announcements, fair booths, Web information, brochures, on-hold messages, public speaking engagements, videos, programs on the city’s television station, and even movie theater screen advertisements. In addition, Phoenix, one of the original founders of the now international “Water: Use It Wisely” campaign, uses it on a consistent basis to get the message to customers.
We target programs for teachers and children, to instill a lifestyle concept at an early age and so the kids can go home and bug their parents about saving water. For kids, entertainment is the name of the game. So they get to participate in puppet shows, magic demonstrations, and hands-on activities to help them embrace a water conservation lifestyle. Then there’s Project WET: Water Education for Teachers, a comprehensive program for Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers that provides lessons to teach their students about water.
On another level, Phoenix even performs outdoor water-use audits and retrofits home plumbing fixtures in lower-income and fixed-income neighborhoods. Future initiatives include targeting messages to residential and commercial high water users and an increased use of focus groups and surveys.
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Of course, many other cities have similar programs and have enjoyed much success. But this job will never be done. The delicate balance of using customers’ money wisely, staffing appropriately for public awareness programs, incorporating all of our publics and stakeholders in the program, developing strategic plans and messages for all levels of interest, targeting minority media, and changing perceptions are things water providers must plan for and perform to the best of their abilities.
In Phoenix, we’re looking far into the future of a growing desert community—a community of people who are getting the message and incorporating it into their lives.
May-June 2007
Public Awareness and Water Conservation Success Go Hand in Hand
Water is a dry subject. There, I said it. Now we can move on.
The truth is, most customers don’t want to hear about the water resources planning, treatment process, and infrastructure needed to get water to their tap. They just count on tap water being there. They care when a lack of water impacts their lives—when it isn’t there.
But that’s the whole point of water conservation public awareness programs—to point out that a water-saving lifestyle is a sensible thing that avoids a negative future impact on our grandchildren. In Phoenix, we let customers know that it’s a personal choice—a smart choice—the right thing to do. We ask customers to get to the most basic level regarding water conservation: think about water, every time you use it, and use it responsibly.
We also take the time to let customers know the big picture—that is, the condition of our overall water supply and multiple resources utilized, as well as the positive effects of water conservation. We let them know that our drought management and water resources plans look far into the future. In other words, it’s not just dumb luck that Phoenix has not had to impose water-use restrictions during more than a decade of drought. Why? Because drought in the desert has little to do with a water supply that comes primarily from snow up north and east of Phoenix.
We don’t skimp on the details either. We give the standard hints about how to save water, plus some very specific ones, in case customers are really listening. We let them know that many businesses use the most water-efficient methods available, bring tourists to the region, and help lower taxes. We let them know that developers incorporate Arizona desert-friendly plants into many new landscapes.
Plus, Phoenix uses any and all avenues that can transport these messages to our customers. Do they pay attention? They must, because Phoenix’s per-person use of water has decreased by about 20% in the last 20 years, about as long as the city has had a water conservation office.
Chances are, at some point, many of our 1.5 million customers will eventually see or hear the multitude of English and Spanish messages through media interviews, public service announcements, fair booths, Web information, brochures, on-hold messages, public speaking engagements, videos, programs on the city’s television station, and even movie theater screen advertisements. In addition, Phoenix, one of the original founders of the now international “Water: Use It Wisely” campaign, uses it on a consistent basis to get the message to customers.
We target programs for teachers and children, to instill a lifestyle concept at an early age and so the kids can go home and bug their parents about saving water. For kids, entertainment is the name of the game. So they get to participate in puppet shows, magic demonstrations, and hands-on activities to help them embrace a water conservation lifestyle. Then there’s Project WET: Water Education for Teachers, a comprehensive program for Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers that provides lessons to teach their students about water.
On another level, Phoenix even performs outdoor water-use audits and retrofits home plumbing fixtures in lower-income and fixed-income neighborhoods. Future initiatives include targeting messages to residential and commercial high water users and an increased use of focus groups and surveys.
Of course, many other cities have similar programs and have enjoyed much success. But this job will never be done. The delicate balance of using customers’ money wisely, staffing appropriately for public awareness programs, incorporating all of our publics and stakeholders in the program, developing strategic plans and messages for all levels of interest, targeting minority media, and changing perceptions are things water providers must plan for and perform to the best of their abilities.
In Phoenix, we’re looking far into the future of a growing desert community—a community of people who are getting the message and incorporating it into their lives.