DDRIG in DRMS: Perceptions in sustainability transitions: planning for the potable reuse of wastewater in Arizona

Arizona State University, Scottsdale AZ

Investigators

Abstract

Transitioning to more sustainable use of resources requires residents to make significant shifts in institutional norms, values, and daily practices. The prospect of such changes can provoke public resistance to interventions decision makers view as necessary to regional resilience. Although the principles of participatory decision making are becoming widely embraced in public policy, common methods of participation are insufficient to productively engage with the emotional and embodied foundation of risk perceptions. To address this gap, this research project explores a novel approach to deliberation that uses embodied methods and collaborative design to help communities make informed decisions about sustainability transitions. The researchers apply this approach to the direct potable reuse of wastewater, which municipalities have been slow to adopt because of widespread negative perceptions of the resulting water’s quality. The researchers work with skeptical consumers and water utility professionals to co-design an engagement activity that promotes learning and reflection about the possibilities and drawbacks of potable reuse. The resulting activity is presented at several public festivals and compared to traditional text-based education to assess the learning that occurs. Combining this research with stakeholder interviews will enable researchers to assess the scalability and perceived legitimacy of using embodied engagement methods and collaborative design in the management of sustainability transitions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.