New Study Looks at Conservation, Customers, and Communications

Abstract

This article discusses a study funded by the Water Research Foundation that investigated the relationships among the water conservation behaviors of customers, demographics and other factors, and effective communication. Through guidelines that water agencies can use to design effective, integrated communication approaches aimed at influencing water conservation behavior, the report, Water Conservation: Customer Behavior and Effective Communications, will assist water utilities in designing and implementing social marketing campaigns through three mechanisms that include: sharing informational resources on social marketing; sharing lessons learned from other water utilities; and, sharing research on links between demographics and effective communications for use in designing targeted communications campaigns, particularly when budgets are limited.

A literature review: developing an information feedback interface to encourage water conservation behavior among utility customers

“…Surveys from the Silva 2010 study reflect that 75% of respondents were familiar with Tempe's main water conservation slogan and had seen it more than 10 times. 2 Overall, the report found that some of Tempe's media approaches were statistically significant in influencing water conservation, though the study made no projections as to how much water was saved by the media efforts alone (Silva et al 2010).…”

“…However, the Silva 2010 study that assessed media campaigns conducted over longer periods of time and with a consistent Developing an information feedback interface to encourage water conservation behavior message had more promising, although inconclusive, results (Silva et al 2010). The Silva 2010 study reviewed Tempe, Arizona's cooperative media program called Water -Use It Wisely.…”

“…), was most heavily used in drought conditions, based on the conservation department's belief that "the media is our best avenue for getting information to the public." (Silva et al 2010). Surveys from the Silva 2010 study reflect that 75% of respondents were familiar with Tempe's main water conservation slogan and had seen it more than 10 times.…”

“…(Media campaigns on their own serve a very distinct and critical purpose.) As the above case studies indicate, a sustained media campaign becomes recognizable to the public and is an important step in changing behavior due to its raising awareness (Silva et al 2010), and is 2 The total number of customers surveyed was not stated.…”

“…The Silva 2010 survey reflected that only 64% of customers tracked their usage over time from their water bill (Silva et al 2010). However, many customers said that bill tracking would be useful if there was an easier way to do it (Silva et al 2010).…”