Systematic Social Analyses of how community values alternative water supply options

Developing and maintaining community partnerships for the sustainable use and management of water resources

Background
Community values and views
Looking to the future
The partners
Newsletter

Background

The Qld State Govt has made some difficult decisions as a result of water shortages and severe drought, implementing a number of large new infrastructure projects and research programs.

As part of this the South East Queensland Urban Water Security Research Alliance has been established to optimise and maintain the quality of the science behind these new initiatives.

This includes a focus on social research to better understand and respond to community views and values.

Community values and views

In the first year the social research is focussing on community aspects of the implementation of the purified recycled water (PRW) scheme.  This includes the use of surveys, interviews and meetings to understand community values and views about the PRW scheme, what factors or conditions might influence these views and providing opportunities for discussions between communities and technical experts to examine different understandings of PRW. 

Government and water utilities can draw on this information to assist in implementation and management of the PRW scheme in ways that respond to community views, values and concerns.

Subsequent years will continue to develop understanding of views about the PRW scheme and how management of the scheme might incorporate some of these views.  There will also be attention on long term demand management and water using behaviours and research to understand and address community issues associated with alternative water supply systems.

Looking to the future

Our social research project will provide for the incorporation of community values and aspirations in future water planning. It is important for the long term acceptance of water supply and management decisions, and acceptance of whole of community responsibility for ensuring sustainable water supplies, that the SEQ communities be engaged in a partnership with government and researchers.

The partners

This project is a research partnership between CSIRO, University of QLD and the Department of Natural Resources and Water, QLD.

Our research will utilise the well established initiatives of the University of Queensland, led by a Reference Group consisting of two government representatives – from Dept of Natural Resources and Water and Queensland Water Commission), two UQ representatives, and two CSIRO representatives.

 

Contact: Dr Kelly Fielding
Visiting Scientist
CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
Queensland Bioscience Precinct
306 Carmody Road, St Lucia QLD 4067
Institute for Social Science Research
School of Psychology (Adjunct)
The University of Queensland
Brisbane Qld 4072
P: +61 7 3214 2419
Email - UQ: k.fielding@uq.edu.au
Email - CSIRO: Kelly.Fielding@csiro.au

Read about more of our research.