PROJECT DETAILS


  • Project No 4539
  • Project Name Investigating community attitudes to alternative water sources
  • Lead Organisation Barwon Water
  • Research Lead Deakin University
  • Main Researcher Christina Semasingha

Status: Complete

Focus Area: Circular Economy

National Research Priority: Customers

Project Description

To face the mounting pressures of increasing demands on depleting fresh water supplies, the water industries are compelled to explore alternative water supplies such as desalination, water recycling (Indirect and Direct Potable Reuse), and storm water reuse, among others. However, community attitudes to such alternative sources and technologies remain a critical barrier to be overcome in most contexts.  This research explored community attitudes to different sources of water, particularly in relation to trust (both in the relevant technology, and trust in the administrating water utility), the perceived need for alternatives in light of climate change, and the so-called ‘yuck factor’, which is often cited in the water literature as a key cause of negative attitudes to alternative water sources.

PhD Thesis completed by Christina Semasingha.