EAGER: PPER: Development of a Contest-based Crowdsourcing Scheme for Public Water Quality Monitoring

University Of New Hampshire, Durham NH

Investigators

Abstract

1743997 (Mo). This project aims to design, assess, and understand a generalizable contest-based crowdsourcing scheme to engage the public in continuous water quality monitoring activities at the consumer tap. The approach is intended to allow early response, risk management, and harm reduction in a public water quality crisis like Flint, MI. Two contests with different public recognition reward schemes will be developed, one that focuses on rewarding participants for the number of samples collected at different locations and another that focuses on rewarding participants for the number of new recruits to the program. The experimental design of each contest includes online pre-contest surveys, sample collection by the participants, paper-based post-contest surveys and interviews, and centralized sample analysis at one lab facility. Two different contaminants (i.e., lead and copper) will be tested in the two contests to reduce the potential fatigue effect from multiple contests. Social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) and word-of-mouth promotion will be used to recruit participants. The survey instruments will be used to collect information regarding participants' motivation, socioeconomic characteristics, and perceptions of the proposed scheme. This project should facilitate identification and understanding of optimal program design features and demographic factors that influence outcomes related to data quality, use of science in decision-making, scientific literacy, and networking changes from contest-based crowdsourcing efforts. The project is targeted to result in creation of a generalizable framework to engage the public in water quality monitoring at the consumer taps. This work will generate new knowledge in: 1) effective design of crowdsourcing schemes to engage the public in household water quality monitoring activities; 2) major motivators to engage the public in household water quality monitoring activities and barriers that prevent people from participating in such activities; 3) an understanding of the influence of people's socioeconomic status, job confidence, and environmental awareness on their participation in water quality monitoring activities; 4) the potential benefits of using crowdsourcing to improve public scientific literacy, social network, and environmental decision-making; 5) the potential changes in property values and social equity resulting from a water quality red flag; and, 6) enhanced understanding of the factors that influence household water quality. This project is also targeted to result in the development of a cost-effective and public engaged approach of household water quality monitoring, and initiation and identification of a community that could be engaged in future water quality monitoring efforts.