Communicating the
Value of Drinking Water Services
Using Campaigns
Community Engagem
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The Value of Water
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The Value of Water
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BROKEN PIPES
& LOST WATER:
THE DRAMATIC REALITY Of
U.S. WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
-------
Office of Water (4606M)
EPA 810-S-15-001
May 2015
-------
CONTENTS
THE VALUE OF WATER 1
Understanding the Value of Water 1
Outline for Communicating the Value of Water 2
Using Stakeholders to Identify and Develop Messages 4
CAMPAIGNS AND PRODUCTS 6
Value of Water Campaigns and Products 6
Value of Water Coalition's Water Works! Campaign 7
New York's Water and Wastewater Education and Outreach Committee (WWEOC)'s
Value of Water Campaign 8
American Water Works Association (AWWA)'s Only Tap Water Delivers Campaign 10
California Water Service Company (Cal Water)'s Behind the Scenes Campaign 11
National Rural Water Association (NRWA)'s Quality on Tap! Campaign 12
Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA)'s Value of Water Campaign 13
American Water's Value of Water Campaign 14
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES 16
Public Events and Interaction 16
WWEOC's Va/i/eofl/l/aferCampaignTapWaterTasteContest 16
Cold Spring, Minnesota, Public Involvement 17
Marshfield, Wisconsin, Groundwater Guardian Program 18
Clay Rural Water System, Public Interaction 19
Toast to Tap 20
Use of Social Media and Mobile Apps 21
EPA's WaterSense Program 21
Aqua America's WaterSmart Web-based and Mobile Apps 22
American Water Community Outreach and Social Media Competition 23
United Water Social Media Communication 24
Cal Water's Behind the Scenes Campaign 25
ACWA's Value of Water Campaign's Use of Social Media 26
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THE VALUE
OF WATER
Understanding the Value of Water
Much of the public trusts that safe drinking water will corne out of their taps
every day. However, many do not understand the service that water utilities
provide in delivering safe water to their communities. Numerous national
and state campaigns have been developed to communicate the value of
water to increase people's awareness of the importance of this service. These
campaigns cover a number of topics central to water utilities including the
costs of replacing aging infrastructure, importance of building the water
sector workforce, implications of water availability and/or water quality
issues and promoting behavior change to help conserve water.
EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water hosted a series of five
webinar discussions called "Tap Talks on Tuesdays" in summer 2014 to
share how water systems
The water systems and
organizations featured hope
that by understanding the
many factors that contribute
to ensuring the delivery
of clean and safe drinking
water, the public will
become more involved and
invested in drinking water
protection. In the long run,
a better-informed, more
active community is an
asset for water sector staff
and decision makers.
have communicated the
value, or importance, of
drinking water services to
their customers. Speakers
included representatives
from small, medium and
large water systems, state
and federal agencies and
water sector organizations
The speakers described
messaging methods and
strategies they have used
the importance of
water services to their
community's decision
makers and general
public.
to effectively communicate
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 1
-------
This document summarizes the value of water outreach campaigns and
community engagement activities that were presented during the"TapTalks
on Tuesdays" webinar series to raise public awareness of the service that
drinking water utilities provide to communities across America on a daily
basis. The availability of the campaigns that were discussed are described in
the table below.
Availability of Campaigns
Value of Water Coalition's Water Works! Campaign
Available to Everyone
New York's Water and Wastewater Education and Outreach Committee
(WWEOC)'s Value of Water Campaign
Available to Everyone
American Waterworks Association (AWWA)'s Only Tap Water Delivers Campaign
Available to AWWA Member Utilities
California Water Service Company (Cal Water)'s Behind the Scenes Campaign
Available to Everyone
National Rural Water Association (NRWA)'s Quality on Tap! Campaign
Available to NRWA Member Utilities
Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA)'s Value of Water Campaign
Available to ACWA Member Utilities
American Water's Value of Water Campaign
Available to American Water and its
regulated state subsidiaries
Aqua America's WaterSmart
Available to Everyone
Outline for Communicating the Value of Water
This schematic provides an outline that summarizes the steps water systems
can follow to define and communicate value of water messages. The
graphics used in the summary are a sampling from successful campaigns
and community engagement efforts described in this document.
This schematic visually demonstrates how a water system can:
1. Identify its community's needs or issues through surveys, focus
groups or other data-gathering techniques.
2. Develop a message and communicate it through campaigns or
community engagement efforts including public meetings and
events, social media, Web sites and software applications for
mobile devices.
3. Continue to engage their community and adjust their
communication efforts based on changing needs and issues.
2 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
Conduct
Surveys and
Focus
. Groups .
Identify Your
Community's J
Needs /i
Develop
Your
Message
Jfatoe of Water
Clay Rural Water System, Inc. If
Communicate
Your
Message
Water
[drinking
Public
Events and
Interactions
Social
Media
Drought
Flood
broken pipes
& LOST WATER:
THE DRAMAS REALITY OF
m BeslDear
. ,< TAP WA1SR
$0,002
At about a penny a gallon,
water is a great value.
American water
Mary R Byrnes
Congratulations to the UW of New Rochelle guys who worked thru
the night to get the water main breaks on Huntley Road
Eastchester fixed and water service restored They worked thru the
night! Great job!
AQUA lYjitrSfna.i
In Your community
Groundwater Guardian
United Water
Thanks for the note' I will be sure to s«nd along to the crew They
will surely appreciate it - after having worked those long, cold hours
Mary R Byrnes
I Good tell them it was from the lady with the coffee
.1?
8 Z
c 5
IS
E
o
u
"TapTalks on
Tuesdays"
Summer 2014
~
4\\
American Water
American
Water Works
Association
ACWA
Association
of California
Water Agencies
arimhip. Arivnracy
orrnatton»$eiyic%
AOUA
CRWS
Clay Rural Water System
Wakonda SD
1
UNC
ENVIRONMENTAL
FINANCE CENTER
UNITED WATER
-------
A majority of U.S. voters say
they would pay a little more
each month for upgraded water
systems that ensure the delivery
of clean water.
— Xylem
(National Survey, 2012)
http://www.xvleminc.com/
valueofwater/report/index.
html
UNC
ENVIRONMENTAL
FINANCE CENTER
Survey on
Water Utility Rate Cases
Mary Tiger
Chief Operating Officer, UNC
Environmental Finance Center
mwtiaer(5)soa.unc.edu
Association
of California
Water Agencies
Since 1910
Leadership . Advocacy
Information • Service
ACWA's
Value of Water Ca m pa ig n
Abby Schneider, Ph.D.
Senior Federal Relations
Representative, Association of
California Water Agencies
aschneider@sso.ora
Using Stakeholders to Identify and Develop
Messages
Gathering data helps water systems have an accurate picture of their
community's needs and priorities. Data gathering can include looking
internally, by inventorying assets or performing a financial audit, or by
looking externally through conducting surveys or convening focus groups
of their stakeholders. Each water system and their community's needs and
wants are different. A rural community might have different priorities than
an urban community; similarly a small community might have different
priorities than a medium or large community. Examples of different data
gathering activities were presented during the "Tap Talks on Tuesdays"
webinar series and are described below.
Xylem Inc. conducted a nationwide telephone survey of more than
1,100 voting Americans in 2012 to find out what they think should be done
about the country's water crisis and who should pay for it. The survey found
that 70 percent are willing to pay more to ensure every American has access
to clean water and 61 percent are willing to pay a little more money each
month to upgrade their water system.
As part of the Water Research Foundation (WRF) "Rate Approval Process,
Communication Strategy and Toolkit" project, a number of organizations
(Arcadis, ICMA, Raftelis, SCWC, Stratus Consulting and UNC Environmental
Finance Center) are conducting research to identify communication
strategies, specific messages and tools that water systems could use to
gain support during their rate approval process. As part of this effort, two
surveys were distributed to approximately 12,000 local government water
utilities to gain their perspective on best practices. Survey questions ranged
from,"What do elected officials care about (regarding water utility rates)?,"
to "What messages work?," to "How does public involvement impact the
process?,"among others to determine the communication strategies that
have been effective. The survey results and the status of the toolkit can be
found at http://efc.soa.unc.edu.
The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) has conducted
statewide surveys to gauge what Californians think is most important about
their drinking water services and how much they trust their water utilities to
provide safe drinking water. A sampling of the results includes:
Reliability at Tap: Most important to Californians
75% - Good value for cost of water service
69% - Cost of water = reasonable, especially when compared to
other utilities like natural gas, electricity and cable
— ACWA (Statewide Poll, Mid-May 2011)
http://www.acwa.com/spotliaht/value-water
According to a statewide survey done in 2011,
80% of those surveyed think their local water
agency is doing an EXCELLENT/GOOD job and
find them more credible than the legislature.
— ACWA
http://www.acwa.com/spotliaht/value-
water
4 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
sal Your water bill
IU§ at work. ~
Another system improvement by
service, arid that
the service costs
about a penny per
gallon of water,
the customer
realizes the value
of the service.
We're replacing 2240 feet of aging pipe in your neighborhood.
Your water bill at work.
Manager of External
Communications, American
Water
denise.free@amwater.com
American Water's Value of
Water Campaign
Denise Venuti Free
American Water first established customer focus groups in six service areas
around the country to determine their customers'perception of water.
Feedback from these groups showed that long-term communication
strategies were needed to improve public opinion of drinking water services.
American Water developed various customer education materials and found
that on-the-ground signage is an effective way to communicate with their
customers and
AMERICAN WATER
www.amwater.com
to focus on local
challenges. Their
research found
that once you
explain what is
involved in the
NEW JERSEY
American Water
Out with the old.
In with the new.
cm ABOUT WMR. ITS WHAT MOO. |
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 5
-------
CAMPAIGNS
AND PRODUCTS
Value of Water Campaigns and Products
An accurate picture of community needs is essential to develop effective messages.
Images can be powerful communication tools within Value of Water campaigns. Using images in mailers,
websites and annual water quality reports can keep the audience engaged with the message and build
confidence in the water utility. Photos also keep readers'attention and help explain complex topics to a general
reader.
This section provides examples of campaigns presented on the "Tap Talks on Tuesdays" webinar series that have
been developed to help water systems communicate the messages that are important to their community.
Images and
stories are
powerful
communication
tools.
Images of
water systems
can help
communicate
the need for
investment or
replacement.
Remove. Replace. Repeat. _
_ . , . Messages
So water is always there |_ shou|d be dear
when you need it. ^ and concise.
amwater.com "Js American W
6 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
Value of Water Coalition's Water Works! Campaign
http://www.thevalueofwater.org/
The Value of Water Coalition developed the Water Works!
campaign to bring together public and private water
and wastewater organizations to promote a "one water"
perspective across the water sector.This campaign
aims to educate the public on the importance of clean,
safe and reliable water. Water Works! communicates
the information through their Web site and also social
media outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter. The campaign focuses on the
following messages:
• Water connects us;
• Water grows jobs and opportunity;
• Water keeps us safe and healthy; and
• Water sustains our environment.
Value of Water
COALITION
Value of Water Coalition's Water
Works! Campaign
U.S. Water Alliance
http://www.uswateralliance.ora/
Value of Water
COALITION
J,
ESSEN
Find Out About Water's Value
We are a coalition of public and private water agencies,
business and community leaders, and national organizations
united in communicating the importance of water to the
economic, environmental, and social well-being of America.
What is the value of water?
Essential. Reliable. Invaluable. Water—it's the thread that weaves
together our daily lives. It keeps our communities healthy, our cities
Value of Water Coalition
Announces 12 New Partners
As Water Issues Grow More
Pressing, the Value of Water
Coalition Unites and Reminds
America that Water Infrastructure
Is Both Exceptional and at Risk
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 7
-------
NEW YORK
state department of
HEALTH
New York State Department of
Health and WWEOC
Teresa M. Boepple, P.E.
Assistant Director, Bureau of
Water Supply Protection, New
York State Department of Health
teresa.boepple-swiderOhealth.
nv.gov
New York's Water and Wastewater Education and Outreach
Committee (WWEOC)'s Value of Water Campaign
http://efc.svracusecoe.orq/efc/sub.html?skuvar=251
New York's Water and Wastewater Education and Outreach Committee
(WWEOC) was formed in 2006 in coordination with the New York Rural Water
Association to address the need for education on the value of water in New
York. WWEOC aims to raise awareness about the value of both water and
wastewater services, with the intention of adding prestige to the profession
of water and wastewater operators. WWEOC seeks to communicate about
both services—with one unified voice.
WWEOC's Value of Water brochure
provides information about the
value of water and what it takes
to deliver water and wastewater
services. The brochure can be
mailed to the public in water
bills and distributed to elected
officials. An electronic version of
the brochure may be
posted on Web sites. An
interactive, Web-based
version provides links to
direct users to external
content where they can
learn more information
about drinking water and
wastewater.
Source: New York's WWEOC
YOU SHOULD KNOW...
Drinking water and wastewater services are
not free.
There may be miles and miles of underground
pipes in your community delivering water and
removing waste.
Much of our nation's water and wastewater
infrastructure is old and deteriorating.
Water and wastewater main breaks and other
disruptions are becoming increasingly common
and increasingly expensive to address.
Significant reinvestment is necessary to prevent:
• Degraded environmental health and drinking
water quality, threatening consumer's health
and increasing industrial costs; and
• Insufficient water for households and
industries threatening property values, the
communities' economy, and our quality of life.
Average U.S. Household
Monthly Utility Costs
Wastewater
Telephone,
Cell phone,
Internet
33
-------
WWEOC's Value of Water Children's Activity Booklet contains education
and outreach materials targeted towards children to raise awareness of the
value of water. The brochure is intended to educate youth on the history,
benefits and conservation of water, as well as to generate interest in water
industry careers. The brochure is aimed at 3rd and 4th graders and relates
to the Common Core Curriculum in the state of New York. The brochure
was reviewed by teachers to determine its effectiveness.
Source: New York's WWEOC
The Val"e of Water
What Sit worth to you and
your community?
Think About a Drink at
the Sink
Think about thai water from the sink
Without rt we'd have nothing to drink.
Our bodies need water to slay alive
Otherwise people would not thrive.
Farmers need water (or food to grow
Fish and animals also need this H20
Think about that water going down the dram
Without it. wouldn't life be a pain?
I know what you're thinking
Without water, there would be no dnnkino.
It wouldn't be logical not to flush
Or goodness forbid, we could not brush!
Think about that water, don't let it dno.
Without it. we would not have even a sip.
No laundry, dishwashing, or showers.
No, without water, certainly no superpowers'
Think about water, what life would be like
Without water treatment, oh what a fright!
We lived until age 47 a hundred years ago.
Now it's 78 thanks to the good water flow!
f tS
6
A
In tie
U.S.. each one of
uses 80-100 gatons
a day. Fll out the chart to
how much you
use daily.
Find the underlined words from
the
poem
M
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F
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Q
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Unit Conversions
1 gallon (gal) = 4 quarts
1 quart (qt) = 2 pints
1 pint (pt) = 2 cups
1 cup (c) = 8 ounces (oz)
Activity
m
i
m
m
BJ3
93
m
bath example
1
x 40
40
x 4
160
x 2
320
640
TI
5120
shower (10 minutes)
x 25
x 21
x 2
x 8
brushing teeth
x 1
x 4
x2
x 2
x 8
washing hands/face
x 1
x 2
x 2
x 8
flushing toilet
x 3
X 4
x 2
x 2
X 8
drinking water
xt 1
x 8
How much did you use today?
_
¦¦
¦¦
loin the Force
Where does your water come from? "=i
Where does your wastewater go? %
When you turn the tap on. water comes out. When you flush the toilet, water flows down ^
through the pipes. Do you know how water gets to your tap? The journey is called the water
cycle! Use the words in the box at the bottom of the page to fin in the blanks.
o
u
1. Water is heated by the sun and evaporates.
2. As it cools, it becomes very small water droplets.
3. When many water droplets come together, they form clouds. When the water droplets become too big, it
rains.
4. Rain water looks for the quickest way to the sea and flows into rivers, streams and underground.
5. The water we dnnk goes through a water treatment plant to be cleaned it is often cleaned by flowing
through sand filters to get rid of dirt Some chemicals may be added to keep the water clean
6 Clean drinking water is pumped into storage tanks and through the ctetntiution system, right to your tap.
7. Dirty water goes down the sink or toilet to the sewer
8. Wastewater goes to the wastewater treatment plant where it is cleaned and then goes back into rivers. The
water flows back into the sea where it evaporates into the atmosphere and the cycle begins again
Condensation
Evaporation
Rain
Rivers
Wastewater
Wastewater treatment
Water distribution
Water treatment
Just imagine having one of
the most important jobs in the
world...
Draw a picture of how you can
help protect your community's
water and environment.
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
4\\
American
Water Works
Association
AWWA's Only Tap Water
Delivers Campaign
Jeanne Bennett-Bailey
Chair, AWWA Public Affairs
Council
Public Affairs Officer, Fairfax
Water
i ba i lev@fa i rfax water.o ra
American Water Works Association (AWWA)'s Only Tap Water
Delivers Campaign
http://www.awwa.org/resources-tools/public-affairs/communications-tools/onlv-
tap-water-delivers.aspx
AWWA started its Only Tap Water Delivers campaign in 2006. The campaign
focuses on the following messages:
• protecting public health;
• providing fire protection;
• supporting the economy; and
• improving quality of life.
AWWA's Only Tap Water Delivers public outreach campaign is available, free
of charge, to AWWA utility members to help communicate the value of tap
water service and the need for infrastructure investment. The materials are
available online and in a CD toolkit and can be adapted to meet local needs.
AWWA encourages utility members using the toolkit materials to track their
individual campaigns.
Only Tap Water Delivers
Do you know
how often you
turn me on?
your utility's
md message
Only Tap Water Delivers
Presented in filtration with iVAnmunlWUi Work* Association
Only Tap Water Delivers
Only Tap Water Delivers
*\\
American
Water Works
Association
I'm not
so easily
replaced.
If only our water infrastructure could talk to us. The pipes beneath our
street* might remind us that they need constant attention to remain
steadfast and efficient. They might also remind us that only tap water
keeps us healthy, protects us from fire, supports our economy and
provides the high quality of life we enjoy.
We ate all stewards of the water infrastructure that previous
generation* handed down to us, and our water bills pay to keep those
pipes strong and reliable. For more information about what your tap
water delivers, visit [Insert utility Web address htre\.
AWWA's Only Tap Water Delivers toolkit contains a
variety of tools, including water bill inserts, print
advertisements, children's activities, Op-Ed templates,
videos, public service announcements (PSAs),
editorial board briefing guidelines and campaign
tracking analytics.
Source: AWWA
Only Tap Water Delivers
As >¦¦.«< water provider, our goal is to utafce
nitc there's an adequate supply of safe
water to meet your day-to-day need*—and
an abundant supply m the event at a fere or
other catastrophic event. It's pan of what
you pay toe through your water bill.
Place your utility's
logo and message
HERE.
I want
to be here
for you.
Only tap water delivers (ire protection,
public health protection, support for the
economy, and the overall quality of life
we enjoy. Our job it to
ensure that your
water keeps
Bowing not only
today, but well
"^^^¦intothe future.
Irt all part nf
10 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
California Water Service Company (Cal Water)'s Behind the
Scenes Campaign
https://www.calwater.com/about/behind-scenes/
Cal Water developed their Behind the Scenes campaign to educate people on
the complexity of providing clean, reliable water. The campaign shadowed
eight Cal Water employees to highlight their different duties. The goal of the
campaign was to educate customers about what it takes to get water from
the source to the tap.
V
Ejpaftoi Contact U* login S
SMivian A1m> "a
mi mo mow* Tt
me "fe of
>»B-. J ^ rj.rvr,,, |B|M4!1 :n([JI||.jri^ Jnrt 'Ae 9*0* y«l l. i.M, >n,w,|
"•"Win
Ev««v Moixlay awt rtmnxto, i„ m
*"»***• F~l«,«.*„
A ^
Cvnmijp
VV«t»r Quattr Chemist
Cal Water spent one day with eight staff members to shoot a video, take photos and discuss their
overall job functions.The eight occupations represented different functions in the company. Cal
Water believed that the campaign would help customers relate to the people in these careers
and better understand how the employees' efforts on the "front line" impact their water service.
Districts of different sizes and locations were represented to help customers understand the
differences, and similarities, in employee activities in these districts.
Source: Cal Water
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 11
-------
NRWA's Quality on Tap!
Campaign
Michael Harris
Marketing Director, National
Rural Water Association
michael@nrwa.ora
National Rural Water Association (NRWA)'s Quality on Tap!
Campaign
http://nrwa.ora/initiatives/qualitv-on-tap/
The Quality on Tap! campaign
is a grassroots public relations
campaign for small community
and rural utilities.The campaign
is free to NRWA members or
members of any of NRWA's Our Commitment |
state rural water affiliates.The
campaign aims to assist utilities
in promoting their service of providing clean, safe and affordable drinking
water to communities. The materials are intended to give utilities the
capability to promote the campaign with a small budget.
Quality
^hOnTao!
Our Profession
ijut Commitment
/Duality
OurPnteto
The Quality on Tap! tools include advertisements, sample press releases, question
and answer (Q&A) write-ups for newspapers and the Quality on Tap! logo.
Source: NRWA
12 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
Association of California Water
Agencies (ACWA)'s Value of Water
Campaign
http://www.acwa.com/spotliaht/value-water
Association
of California
Water Agencies
Since 1910
Leadership • Advocacy
Information • Service
The ACWA Value of Water campaign focuses on the costs needed to
cover the increasing demand for water delivery services. The campaign
was developed for utility members to help communicate that water is a
cost-effective service compared to other common services and products.
Through messaging, ACWA explains that:
• Many factors affect the cost of water (e.g., treatment costs,
infrastructure failures, the number of
regulated contaminants, energy costs,
invasive species, cost of supplies, etc.);
• Water is a set of services, rather than a
product;
• An increase in water rates helps to fund
improved reliability in service; and
• Customers get a lot for their money and are paying
reliable service, not just a product.
per
u
But cost to deliver safe, reliable water is rising.
Tlie Best Deal Around
On averogo, o gallon of California lap woto» coils
fvwvtenlht of n c»nl Whan mmporoW with the rml
of other product! w® use every day, lop woier it
dearly one of the belt deals around.
A Gallon of TAP WATER
$0,002
AGAllONOF
b
w
m
ACWA's Value of Water
Campaign
Abby Schneider, Ph.D.
Senior Federal Relations
Representative, Association of
California Water Agencies
aschneidenasso.org
ACWA's customizable toolkit
includes a guidance document,
sample water bill inserts, a
PowerPoint presentation, a
checklist for communicating the
value of water, a fact sheet and
graphics. ACWA has encouraged
utility members to use the toolkit
to reach out to elected officials,
community leaders and the public.
"Best Deal Around"graphics communicate that
water is cost-effective as compared to other
services and products. Source: ACWA
Infiaairuciure Improvements Cost More
Example: City of Sacramento Intake
Facility
Both = 160 MGD (million gallons / day) f
D-* ¦ ¦
** ji i
"
I
Af* -VH0
After
«"
1922
Facility Cost:
< $1 million
2005
Replacement Facility Cost:
$33.2 million
The campaign uses visuals to show customers how
infrastructure upgrades can improve their quality of
life (e.g., a new park or boardwalk). Source: ACWA
Rising treatment costs
Aging water
infrastructure: 100+ years
old
Reasons for Rising Costs
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 13
-------
American Water's Value of
Water Campaign
Deriise Venuti Free
Manager of External
Communications, American
Water
denise.free@amwater.com
American Water developed a toolbox with campaign materials that included print and online
infographics, trade show booths, audio and video spots, 3D street art, bill inserts, public
relations and social media toolkits and press releases. Source: American Water
~
American Water
American Water's Value of Wafer Campaign
http://www.amwater.com/learninq-center/value-of-water.html
American Water created graphics as part of their Value of Water campaign
to show customers how infrastructure and people are involved in providing
safe drinking water to their tap. The graphics show that water is drawn
from rivers, lakes and wells, it is treated and tested and then travels through
an extensive pipe system to be available at the tap.The graphics help
illustrate that the miles of existing pipeline are constantly being replaced
and upgraded and that water specialists, such as scientists, engineers and
maintenance crews are working tirelessly to make sure water is always
available. Other products from American Water's Value of Water campaign
demonstrate that water is frequently undervalued in the U.S. These resources
drive home the message that water is a great value as compared to other
household products that
are more expensive and
not nearly as essential.
14 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
American Water
Water may be basic.
But it sure isn't simple.
WE CARE ABOUT WATER. IT S WHAT WE DO. V
FIND OUT WHY YOU SHOULD. TOO.
at amwater.com
American Water conducted additional
focus groups and learned that their
communication elements, such as
this infographic, were effective in
communicating the complexity of water
services. American Water reviewed and
revised the infographic to include value
statements that better account for the
varying cost of water at utilities. The
value statements included, "At about
a penny per gallon, water is a great value"and
"Water: quality, care and value delivered in every
drop." Source: American Water
At about a penny a gallon,
water is a great value.
~
AMERICAN WATER
QUALITY,
CARE AND VALUE
What's it take to bring water to your tap?
Miles of pipeline, constantly renewed.
Testing ^ and treating it. People working *
day and night to keep it X flowing. At about
a penny per gallon, water is a real value, i
American Water developed other tools,
including a rebus (an image that uses
pictures to represent words or parts of
words). Source: American Water
WE CARE ABOUT WATER. IT S WHAT WE DO.
FIND OUT WHY YOU SHOULD, TOO, at lndianaamwater.com
INDIANA
American Water
Watch Video
What It take*
Value of Water
Testing & Treatment
What It take*
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
adlptscine eNt. Pellentesque eulsmod nisi
sit amet turpls aliquet posuere. Praesent
sed magna eros. Integer pretlum el ft sed
magna OnckJunt etementum.
Learn more
American Water displays this infographic on state websites using an interactive banner. Source: American Water
Water:
Quality, care
and value
delivered in
every drop.
Value of Water Watch Video
Watch Video
Value of Water
Watch Video
What It takec
What It Lake*
Value of Water
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 15
-------
PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT
ACTIVITIES
In addition to campaigns, water systems have engaged in a number of
activities to convey the importance of water to the public. Highlighted
activities in the"TapTalks on Tuesday"series included public meetings,
events, public interaction, social media and software applications for
mobile devices.
Public Events and Interaction
New York's WWEOC
Teresa M. Boepple, RE.
Assistant Director, Bureau of
Water Supply Protection, New
York State Department of Health
teresa.boepple-swider@health.
nv.gov
NEW YORK
state department of
HEALTH
WWEOC's Value of Water Campaign Tap
Water Taste Contest
http://www.health.nv.gov/environmental/water/
drinking/
During Drinking Water Week each year, New York's Water and Wastewater
Education and Outreach Committee (WWEOC) holds their annual Tap
Water Taste Contest. The contest is a local, regional and state competition
that has been held for over 28 years. The general public serves as judges
and participates in blind taste tests featuring samples of water from the
competing public water supplies. The utility winner of the local competition
goes to the regional competition and the winner of the regional competition
goes to the state competition held at the state fair. In 2014, WWEOC's Value
of Water brochures were distributed at the contest. WWEOC also posted the
results to Facebook and Twitter daily.
U
1J
Dri
I Wat
SWhat do y<
aboutyo
health, ny.g
/ i
<
16 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
May 5'h-llth
/drinking
-------
Cold Spring, Minnesota, Public Involvement
http://www.coldsprina.qovoffice.com/
in 2011, the city of Cold
Spring, Minnesota, was
experiencing elevated levels
of nitrate in their wells (7 to 9
parts per million) and had to
shut down two wells due to
nitrate contamination, with
an additional three wells at
risk for contamination. Cold
Spring found that engaging
with farmers and the public
on nitrate reduction helped
to reduce nitrates and protect
public health.
HOMETOWN PRIDE
City of Cold Spring, Minnesota
Paul Hoeschen
phoeschen@coldsprina.
aovoffice.com
rhood Lawn Care Festival!
• Cv- ' * ¦ '¦ '' ' ¦¦ ¦ "
Featuring U of MN Turf Specialist Sam Bauer!
Date: Thursday. May 23.2013
Time: 6 - 730pm
Place: North Pointe Park
Food served from
6:15 - 7:15pm
BOUXCV HOUSE!
Food, fun. raffle, and education!
TM cr» COfc T«»m 1IPCiO' <¦} * Hw
~OvUWftltva 'V Wff M«»3vws' FREE!
wsn r>pj«« «n* aft »inM| wv.*-.
f J »»»ryon«'s •wpwife ty. AppYni
r»t*J 0' S !*nra i On* »V»y yOv a'
Ce«t«vo"y i»i1 iwf, tit at th* park'
£*:' -e«-ve i aJUsjjtkstte-1 &
cards from the fcfowtoif bmineuM:
Teak Market
CoU 5pf*>j 8»k»ry
Cold Sprmj Dairy Qumk
Wtwwr'J »o « Kwtf*ar«
£
City of Cold Spring, MN
DWSMA Vulnerability with Hayland Planting
The city of Cold Spring's Turf
Demonstration and Field Day
educates residents about lawn care
and nitrogen loss.The city park
is divided into plots with a set of
lysimeters (instrument that measures
drainage, evapotranspiration and
storage) under each plot. Fertilizer is
applied at different rates in each plot
and water is collected from lysimeters
to show nitrogen loss from the
lawn. A Turf Management Specialist
demonstrates the calibration of
fertilizer spreaders and the proper
application of water and fertilizer.
Source: City of Cold Spring, Minnesota
ROCORI (i.e., Rockville, Cold Spring, Richmond,
Minnesota) Children's Water Festival is an
annual festival with more than 350 children in
attendance. The festival includes a number of activities,
including investigating macroinvertebratesfrom the area
swamps, listening to presentations about water at the
science museum and microscopic examination of wastewater
treatment plant samples to demonstrate how bacteria can
clean water. Source: City of Cold Spring, Minnesota
Cold Spring encourages farmers to plant
alfalfa north and south of the contaminated
wells and reach out to homeowners to
provide turf management education. As a
result of these wellhead protection efforts,
Cold Spring has achieved a 28 percent
reduction in nitrate levels. Source: City of Cold
Spring, Minnesota
Additional education
activities include working
with neighboring utilities
to hold an annual Children's
Water Festival to get students
interested in water topics.
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 17
-------
Marshfield, Wisconsin,
Groundwater Guardian
Program
Cathy Lotzer
Marshfield Utilities, Wisconsin
cathv.lotzer(5)marshfieldutilities.
org
Marshfield Lessons Learned:
• Find a sparkplug to help
lead the group and keep
momentum, Ask utilities for
volunteers!
• Partner with local groups
with similar interests
(sustainability/green teams,
master gardeners, etc.)
• Get the word out, learn what
others have done and share
your successes.
Marshfield Area Girl Scouts
presents
~
Girl Scouts
Let's Keep
> it Clean
Marshfield, Wisconsin, Groundwater
Guardian Program
http://marshfieldutilities.ora/
o
73
<
O
c
z
=—=
0
ct
The Marshfield, Wisconsin, Groundwater Guardian
Program is sponsored by the national Groundwater
Foundation. Marshfield involves various groups in
the community to conduct result-oriented activities
to get the word out about ground water protection. Beginning in 1997,
Marshfield has received a Groundwater Guardian designation each year
and has been designated as a Groundwater Guardian "Green Site" annually
since 2008. Marshfield has conducted a number of groundwater protection
outreach activities, including:
Learn about the water you drink and the water
that grows your food - groundwater!
Tuesday, July 22nd
1:00PM to 4:00PM
Wildwood Pavilion - Rain or Shine!
Open to ALL levels, activities are
level specific
Cost: $1 per girl, adults attend at no
charge
Registration Deadline: July 8th
Girl* at .ill levels wiH complete 2 activities to earn the 'Ask Me About
Groundwater' patch. Each troop will receive a copy of the workbook that will
allow the troop to complete activities to earn the 'Let's Keep It Clean' patch.
(pilch cotortvaty bylmtO
This patch aligns with each level's It's Your Planet - Love Itl journey.
Contact your local Marshfield Area troop lead** lor registration info
in Partnership with Groundwater Guardians
for the Marshfield Area and Marshfield utilities
Iff ft
MARSHFIELD 9
Utilities
Rx Round-Up
Pharmaceutical Take Back Program
A prescription for protecting our water
"An initiative of Groundwater Guardians for the Marshfield Area"
Rx Round-Up Take Back
Program collects unused
pharmaceuticals.
Water education
training for teachers
(i.e., Project Wet).
Water festivals for
elementary students
on how to protect and conserve ground water resources. High
school students sometimes lead the water festival activities to foster
mentorship.
Videos and television broadcasts highlighting Groundwater Guardian
activities.
Outreach at state fairs.
Community rain gardens with signage to communicate the
importance and purpose of the gardens.
Annual Green and Blue Expo to promote water education and
conservation, groundwater protection and the overall value of water
to adults and children.
Events use a number of outreach strategies, including a water droplet
mascot called "Purific."
Local Girl Scouts event titled "Let's Keep it Clean" provides the
opportunity for girls to obtain two patches from the Groundwater
Foundation.
18 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
Clay Rural Water System, Public Interaction
http://www.clavruralwater.com/
Clay Rural Water System (RWS) in South Dakota utilizes the Quality On Tap!
campaign through a joint publication magazine of 8-12 South Dakota
rural water utilities. The magazine reaches 26,000 rural water members and
communicates on local utility issues (e.g., annual meetings, construction
projects) and common issues across the state (e.g., source water protection,
legislative issues, conservation tips).
CRWS
Clay Rural Water System
Wakonda SD
Clay Rural Water System,
South Dakota
Greg Merrigan
area,merriaan@clavruralwater.
com
^Wineries in Soulh D^ola
April2014 | Volume'
No*. , N.W Online Payment Option | Ann^l W.,.,
CRWS
Clay Rural Hater System
pjppM
C*RPyAids, :
Water Quality-
' iJwii & Clalk Reyiunul >'
Quarterly
Calendar
September 25
Monfhly Board Meeting
7:30 p.m.. System Office
October 23
Monfhly Board Meefing
/:30 p.m.. System Office
November 11
Office Closed in Observance
of Veteran's Day
November 25
Monthly Board Meefing
7:30 p.m., System Office
November 27-28
office closed in Observance
of Thanksgiving
New Employee
S1;;2™ «"*¦" a %i. sdmut „ 2oi i
- lOC.eneral Industry Safety Cm trie [HydeT erlliM]
TO „ to have AnJr „ a m
daynualwater.com to receive your S5.00
credit.
Two members luted in the last issue of
QOT called in and claimed their witcr
credit.
Leak Reward
Mem hers who report a water leak on one
2^1 ^em P'Pellnes will receive a
$10.00 leak reward. With over 1,000
miles of pipeline in the distribution
system, members can play a key role in
assisting system personnel in lororine
water leaks.
Quality On Tap!
October 20H | 3
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 19
-------
"The Safe Drinking Water Act
is one of the most successful
statutes in the modern era. All of
the water in this country and
what we drink comes from either
a surface water or groundwater
source. Water in this country is
safe to drink because of the Safe
Drinking Water Act."
-George Hawkins, DC Water
Toast to Tap
DC Water, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Clean Water
Action, Association of State Drinking Water Administrators and American
Water Works Association hosted "Toast to Tap" in Washington, D.C., on
October 2,2014. This event
celebrated the 40th anniversary
of the Safe Drinking Water
Act and brought together
regional water utilities, drinking
water organizations and local
businesses to engage with the
public and highlight the value of
drinking water to the DC Metro
economy.
m
Celebrating
I ^ Years
W of Safe
Drinking Water
TOAST to TAP
Logo from the Toast to Tap event, held
October 2,2014, in Washington, DC.
"In the 40 years since the
Safe Drinking Water Act,
over 290 million people a
day turn on their tap and
know that their water is
available and safe to drink."
-Ken Kopocis,
EPA's Office of Water
Ken Kopocis, EPA's Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water, with other regional water
leaders toasting to 40 years of the Safe Drinking Water Act at the Toast to Tap event.
Posters displayed at Toast to lap communicated the
amount of water needed to produce common goods.
Water operators filling "Tap It" water bottles at the Toast to Tap
event.
20 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
Use of Social Media and Mobile Apps
Many avenues of communication are available, including an increasing
number of networking and mobile communication opportunities. There
are many ways to reach people on a national or local level such asYouTube
videos, online tools, creative annual water quality reports, tweets and
Facebook messages.
EPA's WaterSense Program
http://www.epa.aov/waterserise/index.html
EPA's WaterSense program partners with
manufacturers, retailers, distributors and utilities
to bring WaterSense labeled products to the
marketplace and make it easy to purchase water-
efficient products. WaterSense also partners with professional certifying
organizations to promote water-efficient landscape irrigation practices.
WaterSense helps save water with product labeling and tips for saving
water indoors and out. Products with the WaterSense label have been
independently certified to perform well; help save water, energy and money;
and encourage innovation in manufacturing. Since the program's inception
in 2006, WaterSense has helped consumers save a cumulative 757 billion
gallons of water and more than $14.2 billion in water and energy bills.
Building
WaterSense
Accomplishments
^e're for Water
pin t
Bid n
Etior
Bwst Replace.
iln us and thousands of your friends
neighbors In taking simple
ttions to save water.
. We're lor
H Water
j, l^t1
[ Watei
EPA's WaterSense Program
Veronica Blette
WaterSense Program Manager
blette. veronicaiaepa.aov
WaterSense communicates their
accomplishments through yearly
reports, regular tweets on Twitter and
posts on Facebook, public
service announcements and
the WaterSense Widget.
WaterSense frequently posts selfies
of their mascot Flo. In this image
posted on Facebook, Flo shows
that she always saves water when
she showers by using a WaterSense
labeled showerhead.
Source: EPA's WaterSense Program
look for
It's 2015! Resolve to
save water all year.
Learn more...
The WaterSense widget is an epa.gov application that
displays water efficiency content directly to external Web pages and provides a link to
the WaterSense Web site. Once it's added to a Web page, WaterSense will update the
content automatically. Source: EPA's WaterSense Program
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 21
-------
AOUA
Aqua America's WaterSmart
Web-based and Mobile Apps
Justin Pizzi
Director of Marketing and
Communications, Aqua America
JCPizziiaaauaamerica.com
Aqua America's WaterSmart Web-based and Mobile Apps
https://www.aauaamerica.com/
Aqua America created WaterSmart, an interactive Web-based program as a
mobile Web application and accessible on computers. The program contains
an infographic with 21 clickable conservations tips for rooms around
the house and downloadable PDFs to allow users to easily distribute the
infographic. Infographics are available for ground water, surface water and
wastewater systems.
Source: Aqua America
22 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
j¥HAJWEDO.»
American Water Community Outreach and Social Media
Competition
http://www,amwater,com/
American Water displays 3D street art at community events to bring
awareness to water infrastructure buried underground.This 3D street art was
highlighted during a contest
at the New Jersey's Mayors
Conference, where mayors
posed with the artwork on
Facebook.The mayor with the
most votes won $ 1,000 towards
their charity of choice. Other
similar contests have taken
place in other states.
American Water
American Water's Value of
Water Campaign
DeniseVenuti Free
Manager of External
Communications, American
Water
denise.free@amwater.com
~ SUPPORT YOUR MAYOR'S
CHARITY OF CHOICE.
American water VOTE NOW!
new JfRt£y
AMERICAN W\TtK
Source: American Water
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 23
-------
United Water Social Media United Water Social Media Communication
Campaign https://www.unitedwater.com/
Richard Hennirig United Water uses social media to communicate real-time and detailed
Senior Vice President, information on infrastructure repairs. Employees working on site are
Communications, Community provided a camera or mobile device to post information about the work
Relations and Creative Services that is occurring.This approach also provides customers with a better
rich.henninaiaunitedwater.com understanding of how long repairs take. United Water's social media efforts
have fostered a positive relationship with customers and allowed United
Water to share the value of the work that they do.
UNITED WATER
¦R Mary R Byrnes
—Congratulations to the UW of New Rochelle guys who worked thru
the night to get the water main breaks on Huntley Road.
Eastchester fixed and water service restored They worked thru the
night! Great job!
Social media has become the primary mechanism for United
Water to communicate during emergency events, such as
water main breaks and water outages. Source: United Water
j j0 United Water
Thanks for the note! I will be sure to send along to the crew They
will surely appreciate it - after having worked those long, cold hours
Mary R Byrnes
Good tell them it was from the lady with the coffee
24 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
-------
Cal Water's Behind the Scenes Campaign
https://www.calwater.com/
Cal Water's Behind the Scenes campaign was promoted on Cal Water's
Intranet, public Web site, Facebook account, Twitter account and in press
releases. Cal Water paid to promote their posts on Facebook during this
campaign to reach their Facebook page's friends of fans. Facebook posts
linked viewers to Cal Water's Web site, which contained the full article, video
and pictures.
California Water Service Company
Posted by Sprout Social I?1 May 1 ^
Happy Water Awareness Month! Do you know how your water gets to you and
the people who help make it all possible? Keep an eye out for our Behind the
Scenes: A Day In The Life video series every Monday and Thursday in May
and get to know Cal Water employees who work hard to make sure you have
a safe and reliable supply of water every day!
Unlike Comment Share
366 people reached
Source: Cal Water
V
Cal Water's Behind the Scenes
Campaign
Yvonne Kingman
Corporate Communications
Manager, California Water Service
Company
vkinamantaca lwater.com
California Water Service Company shared a link
Posted by Kurt Gies t?l ¦ May 12
D
Meet Uver, Leak Truck Foreman in our Visalia District. Uver locates and
repairs leaks throughout the service area and handles other underground
work such as abandoning service lines, setting valve cans, and digging
trenches, all to ensure customers can count on our infrastructure to deliver
their water. Read more here: http://bit.ly/1sEUkc4 | http://bit.ly/1qwFCX2
#behindthescenes #dayinthelife
Behind the Scenes: Leak Truck Foreman
Sneak behind the scenes with Cal Water and see how
we provide our customers with safe and reliable water
Unlike Comment Share
17,856 people reached
1^)81 Q 8 D 1 Shares
,/ See Results
Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services 25
-------
Association
of California
Water Agencies
Leadership • Advocacy
Information • Service
ACWA's
Value of Water Campaigns
Abby Schneider, Ph.D.
Senior Federal Relations
Representative, Association of
California Water Agencies
aschneidenasso.orq
ACWA's Value of Water Campaign's Use of Social Media
http://www.acwa.com/spotliaht/value-water
ACWA encourages members to use a variety of outreach approaches,
including social media (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) to communicate the
Value of Water campaign.
OnlyTapWaterDelivers
Delta ©OnlyTapWater
V. cool tap nutritional info label from
the Sacramento Suburban Water District!
(fflAWWAACE
TAP WATER FACTS
Serving Size: Any size Servings per Property; Nearly limitless
Dependable
Reliable
Safe to drink
Delivered at all hours
Flexible
% Daily Value
100%
100%
100%
Water when you want it
100%
Available from every tapinomaner how many) 100%
Use as much as you need 100%
Benefits
Fire protection - fire flows and pressures 100%
Public health - safe to drink 100%
Quality of life - gardens, parks, washing 100%
Supports economy - no water, no businesses 100%
Cost1
Average SSWD residential V/'metered service -33%
Average compared to Sacramento
Padre Dam Municipal Water District
May 31
Did you know? Infrastructure Improvements Cost More Today.
The cost to maintain and improve water infrastructure increases
with time as the cost of materials increase, the cost of energy
increases and progressively stringent regulations are put in place.
For example, Padre Dam's West Victoria Reservoir, holding 2,6
million gallons, cost $76,530 to build in 1962 costs more that $4.4
million to replace only the roof and pump station today,
Like 1 Comment ¦ Share
Friday
Hey San Francisco! Looks like beautiful weather this weekendl
Stay hydrated by filling a reusable bottle and taking our great
Hetch Hetchy tap water with you while you explore. Check out
some of these beautiful places to hike:
http: //sfwater. org/index.aspx?page=91
San Francisco Public Utilities
Commission: Explore
sfvM'er.org
Like ' Comment 1 Share
These examples of social media posts from ACWA
member utilities show different messages systems
can communicate to their customers. Source: ACWA
Sea
& Western MWD
fgjBeingWaterWise
A gallon of coffee=$16; a gallon of tap
water=$.002. CAtap #water: The best deal
around!
^ Reply Retweet Favorite
9:00 AM - 21 May 12 via HoolSuite Embed this Tweet
j^Fofiow 1*
26 Communicating the Value of Drinking Water Services
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