Public Acceptance: The Greatest Barrier to Widespread Water Reuse

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Wade Miller
Keyword(s):  
Water Reuse ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Reclaimed Water ◽  
Public Acceptance ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Potable Reuse ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
Indirect Potable Reuse ◽  
Past Half

Most knowledgeable observers would agree that the greatest barrier to the use of recycled/reclaimed water for various applications around the globe is gaining the acceptance of the public. Several highly qualified researchers have conducted studies on public perception and public acceptance over the past half-dozen years. Each of these studies has advanced the state of understanding of the public's reluctance to fully accept the use of reclaimed water, especially for indirect potable reuse. It is incumbent upon the water reuse community to move beyond gaining an understanding of public concerns to a phase in which we devise practical and workable approaches to the problem of acceptance. The water reuse community must formulate a basic strategy and then implement it. While it would be naïve to believe that every local situation is the same, it is possible for the global water reuse community to begin to agree on the basic elements of the strategy needed to ensure public acceptance. This paper will focus on these needed elements, which include common terminology, positive branding, research on microconstituents, embracing stakeholders, and communicating the value of water.

scholarly journals Public acceptability of indirect potable water reuse in the south-east of England

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 875-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Aitken ◽  
Sarah Bell ◽  
Sian Hills ◽  
Lucy Rees
Keyword(s):  
Water Reuse ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Belief System ◽  
Feasibility Studies ◽  
The United States ◽  
The South ◽  
Potable Reuse ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Indirect Potable Reuse

Public controversy over planned indirect potable reuse of wastewater has been a significant obstacle to implementing proposed schemes in the United States and Australia. Surveys of public attitudes to water reuse have generally shown lower acceptance of indirect potable reuse compared with other reuse options, such as irrigation. The south-east of England is projected to experience a shortfall in water supply by 2020 and the largest water utility in the region, Thames Water, is investigating indirect potable reuse as a potential new supply option. The indirect potable reuse feasibility studies include evaluation of the technology options and water quality as well as detailed consideration of public perception issues. As part of the work to address the latter, 2,000 Thames Water customers participated in an on-line survey of their attitudes to indirect potable reuse. The survey showed overall support for the idea of indirect potable reuse. The only demographic factor to show any significant difference from the whole sample was belief system, with Muslim respondents showing significantly less support than other groups. The survey results indicate that indirect potable reuse may be socially acceptable in the south-east of England, but that public engagement and participation in future decision making about indirect potable reuse will be important for the success of any particular proposal.

A Review of Water Reuse and Recycling, with Reference to Canadian Practice and Potential: 2. Applications

2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Exall
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Reclaimed Water ◽  
Potable Reuse ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
The World ◽  
Housing Corporation ◽  
Indirect Potable Reuse ◽  
Treated Municipal Wastewater

Abstract Common water reuse applications include agricultural and landscape irrigation with treated municipal wastewater, industrial recirculation of process waters, rainwater collection, and groundwater recharge for non-potable and indirect potable reuse. As compared to other countries worldwide, water reuse is currently practised infrequently in Canada, with the focus of most of the water reuse effort within Canada on agricultural irrigation applications. Landscape irrigation and other non-potable urban uses are practised to some extent, but provide an opportunity for expanded application of reclaimed water. Similarly, while water recycling is practised to various degrees within specific industrial sectors, further industrial water reuse and recycling affords an opportunity to conserve large volumes of water. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has supported a great deal of research into treatment and reuse of domestic greywater for non-potable uses within individual buildings, as well as some work on rainwater collection and use. Groundwater recharge and potable reuse are practised to some extent in extremely dry regions of the world, but public health concerns with respect to emerging trace contaminants may limit the spread of these reuse applications. The main issues associated with each of the above applications are reviewed, and the state of Canadian water reuse and recycling is described.

Treatment of Trace Organic Compounds by Membrane Processes: At the Lake Arrowhead Water Reuse Pilot Plant

1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 293-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno B. Levine ◽  
Kapal Madireddi ◽  
Valentina Lazarova ◽  
Michael K. Stenstrom ◽  
Mel Suffet
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Plant ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Ultra Violet ◽  
Treatment Efficiency ◽  
Small Molecular Weight ◽  
Potable Reuse ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Neutral Compounds ◽  
Indirect Potable Reuse ◽  
Trace Organic

Organic and trace organic performance data for ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) at the Lake Arrowhead water reclamation pilot plant are analyzed to determine the treatment efficiency of these processes in an indirect potable reuse design. Four organic parameters were studied: dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ultra-violet absorbance at 254 nm (UV-254), SUVA and base neutral analysis (BNA). UF and NF removed the larger compounds from the influent, but had no significant impact on the base neutral fraction with the exception of sterols. The RO process removed DOC and UV-absorbance compounds from the effluent to their respective detection limits. Base neutral compounds were significantly removed by RO, leaving at extremely low concentrations small molecular weight compounds, indicating indirect potable reuse is technically feasible.

Source water impact model (SWIM) - a watershed guided approach as a new planing tool for indirect potable water reuse

2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 267-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Drewes ◽  
P. Fox
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Reclaimed Water ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Source Water ◽  
Impact Model ◽  
Water Impact ◽  
Potable Reuse ◽  
The Impact

The scope of this study was to develop a model to assess the impact of source water quality on reclaimed water used for indirect potable reuse. The source water impact model (SWIM) considered source water qualities, water supply distribution data, water use and the impact of wastewater treatment to calculate reclaimed water quality. It was applied for sulfate, chloride, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) at four water reuse sites in Arizona and California. SWIM was able to differentiate between the amount of salts derived by drinking water sources and the amount added by consumers. At all sites, the magnitude of organic residuals in reclaimed water was strongly effected by the concentration of organics in corresponding water sources and effluent-derived organic matter. SWIM can be used as a tool to predict reclaimed water quality in existing or planned water reuse systems.

Investigating Public Acceptance on Public Oriented Human Space Commercialization

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Alex Monchak ◽  
Ki-Young Jeong ◽  
James Helm
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Public Acceptance ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
The Public ◽  
Perceived Availability ◽  
Perceived Enjoyment

Based on people’s enthusiasm and economical reasons, space commercialization will get more momentum in the future, and eventually reach a full commercialization status, a public-oriented human space commercialization (POHSC) where the public freely participate and purchase space products and services. In this study, the authors conduct a survey-based research model to investigate public perception on POHSC in the human space exploration (HSE) context. The authors want to identify what factors influence public acceptance and adoption of POHSC, and to evaluate public willingness to pay for future services provided by POHSC. For these objectives, the authors develop the concept of ‘eMerge’, a conceptualized mobile device-based application tool with which the public access and pay for their services. The authors also propose the Technology Acceptance Model with ‘eMerge’ specific (TAMe). The results show that public perceptions are strongly affected by perceived availability, perceived usefulness, and perceived enjoyment to use ‘eMerge’. The Perceived availability and perceived enjoyment have significant effect on public motivation to use ‘eMerge’ by forming a positive attitude toward intention to use it. It also shows that the public have very high expectations and enthusiasm on POHSC in terms of their estimated spending on ‘eMerge’. These results can be used as base knowledge in POHSC for future R&D and commercialized technology development.

scholarly journals The brain seduction: the public perception of neuroscience

2009 ◽  
Vol 08 (04) ◽  
pp. L01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donato Ramani
Keyword(s):  
Public Perception ◽  
Science And Society ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
Present Letter ◽  
Values And Beliefs ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Brain

The increasing number of magazine covers dedicated to brain studies and the success of magazines and scientific journals entirely dedicated to brain and mind indicate a strong interest on these themes. This interest is clearly surpassing the boundaries of scientific and medical researches and applications and underlines an engagement of the general public, too. This phenomenon appears to be enhanced by the increasing number of basic researches focusing on non-health-related fMRI studies, investigating aspects of personality as emotions, will, personal values and beliefs, self-identity and behaviour. The broad coverage by the media raises some central questions related to the complexity of researches, the intrinsic limits of these technologies, the results’ interpretative boundaries, factors which are crucial to properly understand the studies’ value. In case of an incomplete communication, if those fundamental interpretative elements are not well understood, we could register a misinterpretation in the public perception of the studies that opens new compelling questions. As already observed in the past debates on science and technologies applications, in this case, too, we assist to a communicative problem that set against scientific community on one side and media, on the other. Focusing our attention, in particular, on the debate on fMRI, taken as a good model, in the present letter we will investigate the most interesting aspects of the current discussion on neuroscience and neuroscience public perception. This analysis was performed as one of the bid - brains in dialogue - activities (www.neuromedia.eu). bid is a three year project supported by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Program and coordinated by Sissa, the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste, aimed at fostering dialogue between science and society on the new challenges coming from neuroscience.

Communicating about Nuclear Energy and Climate Change

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley S. Ho
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
General Public ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Public Acceptance ◽  
Media Images ◽  
The Public

In comparison to fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases, nuclear power plants are a cleaner energy source that could help to mitigate the problems of climate change. Despite this, the general public often associates nuclear energy with risks that include nuclear accidents, nuclear waste contamination, nuclear weapons proliferation, and many others. People’s experience with the 1979 Three Mile Island incident in Pennsylvania and the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine have caused a sharp decline in public support for nuclear energy over the past few decades. In addition, media images of the 2011 Fukushima-Daichii nuclear accident are still fresh in the minds of the public. These now iconic media images and portrayals have perpetuated a perception of nuclear energy as a risky technology. Against these backdrops, scientists, communication practitioners and other key stakeholders increasingly face an uphill struggle to communicate about nuclear energy as a possible strategy for addressing climate change. Though the general public may reluctantly accept nuclear energy for climate change mitigation, research suggests that messages emphasizing the benefits of nuclear power for energy security and economic growth appear to have greater impact on public acceptance of the technology. Furthermore, public perception of nuclear energy is shaped by a host of other factors such as trust in nuclear governing institutions, knowledge, political inclinations, geographical proximity, and socio-demographic variables. At the same time, nuclear experts and the general public differ in their perceptions of risk, in nature and strength, relative to nuclear energy. Understanding these key differences between the experts and the public, and how beliefs, values, and perceptions influence public acceptance of nuclear energy is necessary to formulate effective public communication and engagement strategies.

NINETY FIRST IN NINETY THIRD. THE TWO YEARS ANNIVERSARY OF THE EVENTS OF AUGUST 1991 IN THE PRESS DURING THE 1993 CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS: BASED ON MATERIALS FROM PRAVDA, IZVESTIA, NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA

2020 ◽  
pp. 26-37
Author(s):  
Anastasiya G. Gotovtseva ◽  
◽  
Tatyana V. Skokova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Perception ◽  
Current Field ◽  
Coup D'etat ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Press ◽  
The Future ◽  
Memorable Date

This article is devoted to the featuring the anniversary of the 1991 Soviet coup d’état attempt on the pages of newspapers in 1993. The events of August 1991 did not disappear from the current field and were used both for the propaganda and for comprehending the past and forecasts for the future. The fact that a few months before the memorable date the trial of those arrested in the SCSE case began served to refresh the events in the public perception, and just a couple of weeks before that, an abridged version of the indictment was published in public sources.

Long-Range Planning for Water Reuse in the City of Los Angeles

1991 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahman Sheikh
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Reclaimed Water ◽  
Potable Reuse ◽  
Water Demands ◽  
San Fernando ◽  
Near Term

While new sources of affordable potable water for Los Angeles will likely decrease or be unavailable in the future, sources of readily usable reclaimed water will double over the next decade. For many non-potable uses (e.g., landscape irrigation, industrial cooling, toilet flushing), reclaimed water can replace potable water, thereby making equivalent volumes of potable water available. Groundwater recharge with reclaimed water can further augment potable water supplies in significant volumes. Quantitative goals for water reuse were derived by comparing projected water demands with predicted dependable supplies. These goals are to reuse 40, 70, and 80 percent of the total effluent by the years 2010, 2050, and 2090, respectively. In this planning study, several water reuse concepts were evaluated for near-, mid-, and long-term application. For the near-term, several immediately implementable water reuse projects are recommended, involving landscape irrigation, industrial cooling and groundwater recharge. For the mid-term, massive groundwater recharge in San Fernando Valley and in Central and West Coast Basins is recommended. For the long-term, potable reuse and/or groundwater recharge appear to be the best options.

scholarly journals Risk-Yuck Factor Nexus in Reclaimed Wastewater for Irrigation: Comparing Farmers’ Attitudes and Public Perception

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Ricart ◽  
Antonio Rico ◽  
Anna Ribas
Keyword(s):  
Health Risks ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Reclaimed Wastewater ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Political Factors ◽  
Product Certification ◽  
The Public ◽  
Research Questions

The successes and failures of water reuse schemes are shaped by complex interrelationships between technological, economic, and socio-political factors. However, it has long been recognized that the main challenges to more effective water management are largely social rather than technical. This article reviews the recent literature (2007–2017) to analyze driving factors associated with farmers’ concerns and public perception of reclaimed wastewater for irrigation. The aim of the paper is to synthetize how both environmental and health risks and the yuck factor could be addressed in order to promote mutual understanding between farmers and the public. Results show: (1) how farmers and the public perceive environmental and health risks in a similar way, (2) how the yuck factor is more noticeable for the public than farmers, and (3) how constructed wetlands, reclaimed water exchange consortiums, product certification, and direct site visits to water reuse infrastructure could be promoted in order to foster understanding between farmers and the public. The article concludes by providing key research questions for managers and public authorities relating to how to focus on the study of technical and social issues related to water reuse.

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