Public perceptions regarding water quality and attitudes toward water conservation in the lower Fraser Basin

Abstract

Abstract. This paper concerns public judgments regarding water quality, public attitudes about water conservation, and related issues in the Lower Fraser Basin of southwest British Columbia, Canada. A written survey was administered to 183 lay subjects in four communities within the Lower Fraser Basin. The results show that subjects generally perceive water quality in specific water bodies as worse than indicated in technical studies of those water bodies. Respondents also indicated a high willingness to engage in water conservation activities. Discussion and conclusions complete the paper. IntroductionBritish Columbia, a vast and rugged province on the west coast of Canada, is likely perceived as a region endowed with abundant, high-quality water. Yet, the British Columbia Round The focus of this paper is on (1) public judgments regarding the water quality of nine specific water bodies, (2) attitudes about water conservation, and (3) attitudes toward water management issues in the Lower Fraser Basin of southwestern British Columbia (Figure 1). This ecologically diverse region has, over the last century, become increasingly dominated by human activities. The 1997 population of the Lower Fraser Basin, which includes greater Vancouver, was over 1.8 million people. The region is ideal for human settlement because of flat lands, a beautiful setting, easy access to natural resources, rich agricultural soils, a mild climate, and abundant water supplies. The region continues to experience one of Canada's highest population growth rates. Such growth will inevitably appropriate growing volumes of water for domestic use and pose increasing risks to water quality.As part of an interdisciplinary research program concerned with the sustainability of the Lower Fraser Basin, we conducted research to clarify public perceptions of the state of the The purpose of this paper is to clarify the current perceptions of a lay sample regarding water quality in an environmentally important urban area and to compare these views to available technical information and views of technical experts. In the process, we hope to clarify points that may be relevant for understanding lay perceptions of water quality in other urban locations. We also explore the relationship between perceptions of water quality and propensity to engage in water conservation activities, and other related attitudes regarding water resources. Method RespondentsRespondents in the study were 102 women and 81 men,

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