Effective Crisis Communication During Water Security Emergencies

Abstract

This article discusses effective crisis communication as a key responsibility of water utility officials and public information officers during emergencies. Mental noise theory, a primary construct of risk communication, is discussed in the article and indicates that when people are extremely upset, they often have difficulty hearing, understanding, and remembering information. The challenge for risk communicators is developing a limited number of key messages that are brief, credible, and easily understood. The article presents a powerful tool available to water sector crisis communicators for identifying and developing key messages called message mapping. The article discusses several principles that come into play when developing messages for high‐stress situations. A sidebar is included in the article presenting the three key points of message mapping.

Water security: Debating an emerging paradigm

“…For example, the UNESCO -Institute for Water Education advocates an infrastructure and systems approach to water security which ''involves protection of vulnerable water systems, protection against water related hazards such as floods and droughts, sustainable development of water resources and safeguarding access to water functions and services'' (UNESCO-IHE, 2009). The US Environmental Protection Agency defines water security as prevention and protection against contamination and terrorism (Crisologo, 2008;Minamyer, 2008;Morley et al, 2007). Of course, this is directly linked to broader concerns over state or ''homeland'' security; indeed, United States federal law has made ''drinking water infrastructure security.…”