President of the Water Environment Federation
Happy New Year Waterbloggers! I was going to blog about all my priorities for this year as WEF president, (yes, it’s true), but in the interests of space (and keeping your attention), I’ll cut right to the chase on what’s the biggest deal to me and maybe you, too. That priority is a focus on water reuse and how we maximize its effectiveness to relieve stressed global water supplies and underscore the connection to public health.
My thought is that to be successful, we have to look beyond the related science and technology to make it happen. In addition to the science and technology, the social, cultural, and economic aspects of what it means to make water reuse a commonly accepted practice to preserve our water resources must be addressed--science alone is one justification for the effective reuse practices that are so vital to sustainability of our water resources. We’ve all had or heard of experiences where communities have rejected water recycling or biosolids land application programs for reasons ranging from affordability to some sort of fecal phobia. Sort of like that popular song, we wanted it to go to reuse, they said no, no, no. That’s why a more holistic approach—and sharing that broader thinking through the water quality field--will be absolutely essential to successful water sustainability.
I’m very excited about WEF’s upcoming disinfection conference, Disinfection 2009, which happens February 28 to March 3 in Atlanta, Ga., where the social, cultural and economic aspects of how to translate the developed water research and technology into successful and sustainable programs for the disinfection of water resources in developing country environments will be addressed. Chaired by Gary Hunter (Black and Veatch) and Daniele Lantagne, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), this event will also serve to ramp up that connection between our work and public health. I’m hoping we’ll see more training, conferences, and forums that add new dimensions to water reuse in the very near future.
Please take a few moments to let us know what you think about the importance of going beyond the science in public communications about water reuse. What has been your experience and how can we best educate the public and build awareness about the role of reuse in global water sustainability? It’s a big question for all of us, but it’s one that I know we can answer together.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts or comments.
Rebecca:
ReplyDeleteLet me be one of the first to applaud your selection of the first topic of the year. We have a lot of science and with adequate funding and applied research by the many intelligent researchers in the water field, we will be aple to improve our knowledge. In the mean time, we need to educate a couple of generations on the facts of the water cycle that they forgot or slept through in school. All water is reused. In highly developed areas, the need for water often exceeds the natural supply and the requirement for treatment and reuse of that same water faster than the natural process can respond is the driving force for more water reuse systems.
Thank you for your leadership in this area of focus for WEF.
We applaud you Rebecca!
ReplyDeleteHere in water rich northern Michigan, preaching the mantra that we ALL need to practice water conservation is what we do. We find new ways to constantly say the same thing - water in is water out! But on both journeys it's costing someone money.
As public educators we link that concept that clean water and wastewater are still 'water'! Our particular buzz point is when we see the word 'disposal' instead of treatment or redistribution. Since when did water become 'disposable'?
Our hope is to keep reaching students and hope they carry that with them into adulthood, careers in environmental engineering, or stepping up to be responsible, educated local government leaders.
In March we will be having a blast working with Mill Creek Elementary to produce a musical; "All The Water There Ever Will Be, Goes Through You and Goes Through Me!" They are leaning toward a wild west theme........ (:!!
Kudos for starting the new year with this critical issue.
ReplyDeleteI've seen the communications challenge from both sides of the fence. I'm a well-educated, well-read 50-year-old, but until going to work for a water engineering firm 5 years ago (in communications) I had absolutely no clue where water went when it went down the storm sewer, the loo, the drain...somewhere for treatment, I thought.
The water profession has long been dominated by technical people communicating with other technical people. Today, we're doing a much better job of turning outward and including the public in the discussion. But we're just getting started. It's time to make communications professionals full-fledged, credible members of our team, especially those whose background is non-technical and who have the skills to communicate complex technical issues to a broad audience in a way that can make them understand and care. And, through the media channels where regular people live everyday.
The public at large has no clue what the acronym-riddled, jargon-filled information we're throwing at them means. (But they'll take a good guess at what sludge is!)They do not read water trade magazines. They don't go to political-junkie public forums. As always, people will never trust what they do not understand.
But, as always, people want to do the right thing. They care about their neighborhoods and their community. You always have their ear if you're discussing something directly relevant to their lives. What a great opportunity to open up the water "club" to a more diverse membership.