Public Education Campaign on Water Conservation - Research Paper Example

? Public Education Campaign on Water Conservation An increasing demand for water in the residential and industrial sectors and the rise in environmental quality concern coupled with limited supply of water have brought about issues on water scarcity which has provoked policymakers to devise policies that enhance efficient water use. Most of the efforts on water conservation have been conducted in the urban areas, particularly in the residential sector. According to Woodhouse (2009), the option of increasing the cost of water would not be viable in conserving water in these regions because the current cost is already considered high and demand for water tends to be inelastic. Hence, a voluntary approach has to be adopted through education. This paper analyzes some of the common practices of water conservation giving the benefits that result from these practices. Adopting the planning strategy suggested by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, UNESCAP (2002), this paper suggests the planning process for a campaign aimed at educating the public on water conservation supported by arguments from other scholarly journals and books. Introduction The security of freshwater continues to be a critical issue globally due to the increase in usage of limited resources by the increasing population with subsequent decrease in availability. The unavailability of freshwater has been largely attributed to increase in pollution, deforestation and inadequate management (Zobeck & Schillinger, 2010). Therefore, to secure a sustainable future with water, there would be the need to improve the efficiency in water supply and usage. According to the UNESCAP (2002), water conservation describes the action taken to ensure efficient usage of water. It could be accomplished either by conserving water resources through efficient storage, transfer and management of raw water or by conserving water supply, which includes consumption without wastage and minimal losses in distribution. From ancient days, various methods for water conservation have been adopted. Canals were constructed so as to convey water to farm lands to improve crop production. This would mostly be accompanied by construction of reservoirs to retain water for future usage, be it agricultural or domestic use. Construction of terraces reduced runoffs while plowed fallowing, deep plowing and contouring ensured retention of moisture particularly in farm lands. Recognizing water capture as “the first step in water conservation,” Zobeck and Schillinger (2010, p. 3) argue that frequent plowing would, however, make the land devoid of moisture. Practices such as stubble-mulch tillage that emphasized the importance of covering the surface were adopted as water conservation mechanisms. Modern conservation measures include use of water saving appliances and devices such as showers and faucets, toilets, dishwashers, pressure reducing valves and insulated hot water pipes (Green, 2010). Behavioral practices of water conservation include turning off the water when brushing teeth and reducing the amount of water used per person when showering. Other approaches include operational methods where leakages would be detected in time and repaired; financial methods that include deterrent pricing of water tariffs; and socio-political methods that include public education and legislation. The benefits to be gained from water conservation campaigns are unlimited, with Green (2010) noting that with increased budget allocation to such campaigns, there would be quantitative demand reduction which would lead to documentation of the benefit of the program. These campaigns would make the saved water available to the less privileged that do not have sustainable access to services of water supply. Zobeck and Schillinger (2010) note that adoption of water conservation measures play a critical role in promoting agriculture by curbing erosion and controlling weeds. Nonetheless, scholars concur on water conservation as an expensive venture especially for outdoor conservation. Conservation is an economically involving exercise as a result of conducting effective campaigns and other accompanying expenses such as paying rebates for various conservation measures. Awareness Campaign Education and public information have been cited as critical priorities in water conservation. There is the need to promote a participatory approach which would involve the relevant stakeholders including service providers, water users, non-governmental organizations and governmental agencies. Increased awareness of water issues has been found to be critical in effectively implementing water conservation activities, including campaigns. Campaigns in particular could be carried out in various ways. Schaap and Steenbergen (2002) observe that the campaigns could be conducted through schools, corporate organizations, local governments or nationally. Planning the Campaign The first step would involve setting up a committee that would be tasked with the whole campaign process including the management of the water conservation awareness promotion. The composition of the committee should meet the minimum criteria to represent all the interested sectors and attract the required skills to hold an effective campaign. Some of the most important skills to be incorporated, as noted by UNESCAP (2002), include education, public awareness, social marketing and communication in addition to professionals in water conservation. This would be done simultaneously with the identification of stakeholders so as to ensure that their views would be articulated in the campaign during preparation, implementation and thereafter. The next step would involve an analysis of relevant policy issues. The issues to be handled include political commitment, reasons that led to water shortage, the strengths and weakness of the involved institutions and affordability of water. It would be critical for a review of local factors to be done so as to carry out a campaign adapted to the locality. The local aspects to be considered include cultural, political, environmental, socio-economic, geographic and legal factors. Approaches to water conservation campaigns would vary according to the needs of the location. For example, Woodhouse (2009) noted that Las Vegas spent three times on outdoor conservation than indoor conservation because it already had return-flow credits for its indoor water usage from Colorado River. Therefore, extensive recycling would be more beneficial to the city’s environment, infrastructure and energy. Identifying the target groups would be important since the campaign has to be first promoted to these target groups who would be instrumental in promoting the campaigns to the rest of the public. The target groups could be water professionals, politicians, teachers, community leaders, non-governmental organizations or the media. The next step in planning the campaign would involve identifying strategic partners and sponsors who could be multilateral agencies, private companies, professional associations, NGOs, water supply utilities and government agencies. They would mostly be keen on promoting an image of social responsibility (UNESCAP, 2002). There has to be an agreement on the key message to be communicated, which would then guide on the aims. Designing specific campaigns would be carried out in two phases: creating awareness and impacting behavioral change among the targeted group. Schaap and Steenbergen (2002) advise on consideration of cultural values when designing the message to be used so as to link the message to these values. Such messages could also effectively ride on existing religious messages and social activities that promote the objectives of the campaign. Such campaigns could be engraved in other public events where the themes could be modified to fit into the aim of the campaign. An approach that has worked in various countries includes integrating conservation education in regular schools’ curricula. This provides an opportunity to integrate real-life situations into the campaigns rather than using abstract topics. Using a logically planned framework, detailed activities would be planned. These involve the issues to be raised with the audience, the important messages to be delivered and the most appropriate delivery modes. Thereafter, communication timetables and targets would be set with UNESCAP (2002) noting that five years would be reasonable enough for an effective water conservation awareness program. Within this period, various short term campaigns aimed at behavioral change would be scheduled. Adopting the studies by Dolnicar, Hurlimann and Grun (2012) on behaviors related to water conservation in Australia, the best medium of communication to reach out to those who do not practice water conservation measures would be television. The committee would then set a budget which would guide on securing funding. According to Green (2010), funding in the US has always been biased towards construction of new water supply facilities at the expense of devising cost effective measures for water conservation. It would even be more difficult for small utilities to be funded. However, at the state level, a revolving fund has been set aside to finance water conservation programs and campaigns. On securing the funding, the committee would have to recruit a project manager who would be in charge of various project teams tasked with the implementation of specific water conservation awareness activities. UNESCAP (2002) proposes between four and eight members in a team. The campaign would then be implemented. But Dolnicar, Hurlimann and Grun (2012) point out the importance of having the responsibilities of various bodies involved, articulated and resolved so as to ensure a smooth and successful campaign. In order to ensure continued financial and political support for these campaign activities, monitoring and evaluation of the input and output of the program would be key in demonstrating a positive trend. The cost to be incurred in this should have been included in the budget. Two key aspects to be monitored and evaluated encompass the delivery of the campaign and the results posted (Zobeck & Schillinger, 2010). Delivery would be covered under program management which would enable adjustment of logistics so as to keep the campaigns on track. Results demonstrate the success of the campaign and would depend on delivery, thus the interrelation of these two aspects. As such, this requires the existence of pre-campaign benchmarks. Quantitative benchmarks including consumption and water supply figures could be retrieved from historic date whereas qualitative benchmarks, also referred to as participatory factors such as attitudes, behaviors of the users and awareness levels, would be appraised through a baseline socio-economic survey. There should be annual follow-up surveys, according to UNSECAP (2002), which would measure shifts in qualitative indicators. Quantification of reduction in water consumption would require application of special techniques including monitoring consumption in sampled metered premises. According to Schaap and Steenbergen (2002), these indicators should be measured before and after implementation so as to facilitate comparison. These campaigns have proved to be beneficial in water conservation. Apart from educating the public on water conservation measures and their importance, they also minimize resistance among the affected members of the public during the implementation of the selected modes of conservation. Woodhouse (2009) noted that in San Diego, publicity through conservation campaigns that saw the implementation of the water restriction approach saw the implementation met with minimal resistance. Conclusion The benefits of water conservation have been widely appreciated with societies adopting different measures in accomplishing its objectives. Campaigns create public awareness of the most effective approaches towards water conservation and educates on the benefits that accrue due to proper implementation of these approaches. A committee would lead a successful campaign, making key decisions in the target groups and the message to be communicated. This committee, expected to be all-inclusive, would be anticipated to evaluate their strategies in the course of implementation to determine effectiveness. These campaigns have been appreciated as being critical in minimizing resistance in adopting water conservation practices among the target groups. References Dolnicar, S., Hurlimann, A., & Grun, B. (2012). Water conservation behavior in Australia. Journal of Environmental Management, 105(14), 44–52. Green, D. (2010). Water conservation for small and medium-sized utilities. Denver: American Water Works Association. Schaap, W., & Steenbergen, F. (2002). Ideas for water awareness campaigns. Sweden: Global Water Partnership. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. (2002). Water conservation: A guide to promoting public awareness. Water Resources Series, 81. Retrieved 12 October 2012 from http://www.unescap.org/enrd/wmrs/publications/wrs/81.htm. Woodhouse, B. (2009). Growth, cost, and other excuses: Challenges to water conservation. University of Arizona. Retrieved 12 October 2012 from www.swhydro.arizona.edu. Zobeck, T. M., & Schillinger, W. F. (Eds.). (2010). Soil and water conservation advances in the United States. Madison, WI: Soil Science Society of America Inc. Read More