damian c. adams, asst. prof., department of agricultural economics, oklahoma state university mike...
DESCRIPTION
Survey Implementation Respondent class: equal male/female, over 18, otherwise balanced to 2000 US Census Dillman (2005) survey method: Pre-survey introductory letter, pre-survey reminder post cards, mailed surveys, additional reminders and follow-ups July/August /500 completed (54.5% response rate)TRANSCRIPT
Water Attitudes and Perceptions in Oklahoma: Results of a Statewide
SurveyDamian C. Adams,
Asst. Prof., Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University
Mike D. Smolen, Prof. & Water Quality Coordinator, Department of Biosystems & Agricultural
Engineering, Oklahoma State University
Robert L. Mahler, Prof. & Water Quality Coordinator, Department of Soil Science, University of Idaho
OverviewFunded by Southern Regional Water Program
– USDA/CSREESEvaluate attitudes & perceptions on waterSurveys in 6 states – Oklahoma, Texas,
Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Florida54 questions on water quality and quantity
Survey ImplementationRespondent class: equal male/female, over
18, otherwise balanced to 2000 US CensusDillman (2005) survey method: Pre-survey
introductory letter, pre-survey reminder post cards, mailed surveys, additional reminders and follow-ups
July/August 2008272/500 completed (54.5% response rate)
Respondent ProfilesWhere do you live?
In city limits 77.7%Outside city, no farming 14.5%
Outside city, farming 7.8%Community size
≥ 100k 32.4%25 - 100k 29.5%
7 - 25k 16.6%3.5 - 7k 7.9%≤ 3.5k 13.7%
Years in Oklahoma All 49.2%> 9 39.1%
5 - 9 7.8%< 5 3.9%
Gender Male 63.4%
Female 36.6%Age ≤ 30 3.9%
30 - 39 11.0%40 - 49 11.8%50 - 59 26.3%60 - 69 20.4%
≥ 70 26.7%Education
Some high school or less 5.6%High school graduate 17.5%
Some college 35.3%College graduate 25.0%
Advanced college degree 16.7%
Environmental attitude?Attitudinal scale regarding environmental issues
For total natural resource use 0 13.6%
. 1 2.0%
. 2 2.4%
. 3 3.6%
Equal balance between use and protection (Average American adult)
4 11.2%
5 35.6%
. 6 19.2%
. 7 12.0%
. 8 0.0%
For total environmental protection 9 0.4%
Summary Results
How important are the following water issues to you?
IssueNot
importantSomewhat important
No opinion
Very important
Extremely important
Clean… Rivers and lakes 0.0% 0.8% 0.8% 25.0% 73.4%Drinking water 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 4.4% 95.6%Groundwater 0.0% 0.8% 2.4% 25.5% 71.3%
Water for… Commerce/industry/power gen 0.4% 4.4% 7.6% 47.4% 40.2%
Household landscapes 4.4% 27.4% 13.5% 30.6% 24.2%Agriculture 1.2% 2.0% 3.6% 34.7% 58.6%
Aquatic habitat 0.4% 9.2% 3.6% 37.6% 49.2%Recreation 3.6% 18.3% 8.0% 42.2% 27.9%
Municipal use 1.6% 6.4% 8.0% 38.8% 45.2%Water transfer/sale…
Interstate 10.5% 6.9% 32.8% 25.5% 24.3%Within state 4.4% 5.2% 31.8% 32.1% 26.6%
Hypoxia (Gulf dead zone) 2.0% 6.9% 55.9% 19.8% 15.4%
Importance of actions in protecting our water resources?
IssueNot
importantSomewhat important
No opinion
Very important
Extremely important
Water treatment… Treating stormwater runoff 2.8% 13.2% 15.1% 42.2% 26.7%
Improving wastewater treatment 0.0% 4.0% 5.6% 41.7% 48.8%Water conservation & practices…
Residential water conservation 0.4% 7.2% 8.8% 40.2% 43.4%Building new water storage structures 1.2% 7.6% 12.4% 42.6% 36.3%Improving home & garden practices 1.6% 14.3% 9.5% 48.8% 25.8%
Improving agricultural practices 0.4% 4.0% 6.4% 53.6% 35.7%Land management… Preserving/restoring buffer zones & wetlands 2.8% 11.5% 13.1% 42.9% 29.8%
Preserving agricultural land & open space 0.4% 8.4% 8.4% 43.2% 39.6%Better management of recreational activities 1.2% 17.1% 16.3% 41.3% 24.2%
Better shoreline access to prevent erosion 0.8% 12.7% 11.5% 44.8% 30.2%Awareness...
Improving water quality monitoring 0.0% 4.4% 2.8% 35.1% 57.8%Making water data available to public 0.4% 7.2% 7.2% 41.8% 43.4%
Educating municipal officials 0.4% 3.2% 6.8% 39.8% 49.8%
Issue Importance by Community Size
≥ 100k 25 - 100k 7 - 25k 3.5 - 7k ≤ 3.5k0%
10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
“Important” or “Very Important” Issues
Aquatic Habitat Residential water conservationRecreation Interstate water sales
Drinking Water SourcePrimary drinking water source…
Private supply 11.3%
Public supply - municipal 62.5%
Public supply - rural district 12.9%
Buy bottled water 12.1%
Do not know 1.2%Drinking water separate from
supply 7.6%
Treatment…
Have a water treatment system 8.3%
Have a water filter 34.1%
Bottled water…
Purchase 5-gallon water bottles 8.0%
Often use bottled water 48.1%
Never buy bottled water 20.5%
Satisfaction with source…
Unsatisfied with drinking water 25.4%
Home tap drinking water is safe 79.5%
Have home drinking water tested 12.4%
Protecting & Preserving Water Resources
Quality of water where you live is…
Good or excellent
Good, improving
Good, deteriorating Fair
Poor, but improving Poor
Do not know
Groundwater 18.0% 8.2% 16.4% 12.5% 0.4% 10.2% 34.4%Surface water 7.8% 12.8% 18.6% 30.6% 3.9% 9.7% 16.7%
Water quantity is a problem where you liveDefinitely
notProbably
notDo not know Probably
Definitely yes
19.0% 42.6% 12.4% 14.0% 12.0%
How well are these fulfilling their responsibility for protecting water resources?
Groups Very wellModerately
well Do not knowSomewhat
poorly Very poorlyFederal government 3.6% 24.3% 40.2% 25.9% 6.0%
State government 4.8% 37.5% 30.7% 19.9% 7.2%Your county, city, or town 11.7% 35.8% 24.5% 18.7% 9.3%
Individual citizens 3.2% 21.0% 39.3% 25.8% 10.7%
Water Quantity Perceptions
≥ 100k 25 - 100k
7 - 25k 3.5 - 7k ≤ 3.5k0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Water Quantity a Problem↑ Chance of Pro-longued DroughtLow Change of Enough in 10 yrs
Community Size
Tap Water Safety
Male Female0.0%
20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%
100.0%Gender Gap
≤ 30 30 - 39
40 - 49
50 - 59
60 - 69
≥ 700.0%
20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%
100.0%Age Gap
≥ 100k
25 - 100k
7 - 25k
3.5 - 7k
≤ 3.5k
0.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%
100.0%Community Size Gap
Pollutants affecting water quality in your area?Pollutant
Know it is NOT a problem
Suspect it is NOT a problem Do not know
Suspect it IS a problem
Know it IS a problem
Pathogens 5.2% 16.3% 50.4% 23.0% 5.2%
Fertilizer - Nitrates 2.8% 11.9% 43.7% 31.4% 10.3%
Fertilizer - Phosphates 2.8% 11.2% 45.2% 30.0% 10.8%
Heavy metals 3.6% 16.5% 54.6% 20.5% 4.8%
Minerals 4.8% 11.2% 54.6% 22.7% 6.8%
Pesticides 3.6% 14.5% 46.0% 27.8% 8.1%
Salinity 15.5% 28.1% 45.9% 7.3% 3.3%
Pharmaceuticals 6.0% 22.3% 54.2% 13.9% 3.6%
Petroleum products 5.6% 16.5% 47.4% 26.5% 4.0%
Algae 2.8% 14.0% 47.2% 25.6% 10.4%
Mining waste 11.7% 28.1% 49.4% 6.0% 4.8%
Septic tanks 8.8% 20.3% 55.0% 12.8% 3.2%
Sources Most Responsible?Most responsible for pollution problems in rivers & lakes in OK (Circle up to 3)
Agriculture - animals 39.4%
Industry 31.4%
Oil wells & mining 30.3%
Stormwater runoff 27.7%
Agriculture - crops 23.1%
Erosion from roads and/or construction, repair 20.5%
Wastewater treatment plants 18.2%
Landfills 17.8%
New suburban development 15.5%
Septic systems 15.2%
Runoff from home landscapes 14.4%
Forestry 3.8%
Military bases 3.0%
Enough water? Efforts?Likelihood of your area suffering a
prolonged droughtIncreasing 29.0%
Decreasing 5.5%
Staying the same 47.1%
No opinion 18.4%
Likelihood of having enough water resources to meet all needs in 10 years
High (likely enough water) 29.8%
Medium 40.7%
Low (likely not enough water) 19.8%
No opinion 9.7%
Individual or community effort to conserve water or preserve water quality? (check all)
Changed the way your yard is landscaped 19.3%
Changed how often you water your yard 54.6%
Changed your use of pesticides, fertilizers, or other chemicals 28.8%
Pumped your septic system (if you have one) 9.9%
Adopted new water conservation technologies (low flow faucets, etc) 30.3%
Impacts of Climate Change?Will the amount of rainfall in your area change
as a result of climate change?
Increase significantly 6.0%
Increase slightly 8.0%
No change in rainfall 20.8%
Decrease slightly 12.4%
Decrease significantly 7.6%
Do not know 45.2%
Learning Opportunities - TopicsWould you like to learn more about
the following?
Protecting public drinking water supplies 46.2%
Water rights 27.3%
Home and garden landscaping 25.0%
Nutrient and pesticide management 23.9%
Fish and wildlife water needs 23.9%
Watershed management 22.4%
Animal waste management 21.6%
Private well protection 21.6%
Restoring fish and aquatic habitat 20.1%
Septic system management 19.7%
Water policy and economics 15.2%
Community actions concerning water issues 15.2%
Watershed restoration 14.0%
Landscape buffers 12.5%
Shoreline clean-up 12.1%
Irrigation management 10.2%
Forest management and water issues 9.5%
Learning Opportunities - ModesLearning opportunities you would most likely take advantage of (Up to 3)
Printed fact sheets, bulletins, or brochures 46.2%
Watch TV coverage 45.5%
Read a newspaper article or series 42.1%
Visit a web site 34.5%
Watch a video of information 13.3%
Attend a fair or festival 11.4%Learn how to conduct a home, farm, or workplace water practices
assessment 11.0%
Look at a demonstration or display 7.2%
Attend a short course or workshop 6.4%
Take pare in a onetime volunteer activity 6.4%
Take a short course for certification or credit 4.9%
Get trained for a regular volunteer position 4.6%
Sources of informationWhere do you normally get your news?
Local TV 74.2%
Local newspapers 72.4%
National TV 52.7%
Cable TV 51.5%
Radio 42.4%
Internet 37.5%
Magazines or newsletters 34.9%
Public TV 28.0%
Major newspapers 22.7%
Have you received water resources information from the following?
Local newspapers 59.5%
Public TV 44.1%
Network TV 31.4%
Magazines 31.3%
Friends and family 31.0%
Cable TV 28.2%
Environmental agencies 24.9%
Major newspapers 23.8%
OK Cooperative Extension Service 21.3%
Environmental groups 20.7%
Radio 18.8%
Universities 17.2%
Schools 6.7%
Changed views?
Have you ever changed your mind about an environmental issue as a result of…
News coverage 45.1%
Firsthand observation 30.7%
Conversations with other people 29.9%
Financial considerations 14.0%
Classes or presentations 8.3%
Attending public meetings or participating in volunteer activities 6.8%
Speech by an elected official 3.0%
ConclusionVery high importance, conflicting usesPreferences & perceptions differ by
community size & other demographicsUncertainty & concern for current/future
suppliesEducation/Awareness opportunitiesAnalysis ongoing…
THANK YOU