Jasmine, Laylah, Tamiria, & Zuleyri
The “drivers” in getting the community interested in water are influential figures and organizations that play a crucial role in raising awareness and fostering a sense of responsibility towards water conservation. These drivers include community leaders, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), educators, and the media. In this circumstance, it is very important to identify the drivers because we never fully know who we’re all working. Many people fail to realize that without identifying the driver’s, there’s no way we can find a solution for the problem.
Community leaders, such as mayors, council members, and other public officials, are active in influencing public opinion. They have the authority and platform to promote water conservation policies and take part in awareness campaigns. By setting an example and prioritizing water issues in their agendas, they can motivate the community to act. Their involvement often lends credibility to the cause and can significantly amplify its reach and impact. According to Baer, Katherine. “Creating Connection between Community and Water Utility Leaders – What We’re Learning.” River Network, 2 Aug. 2022, www.rivernetwork.org/creating-connection-between-community-and-water-utility-leaders-what-were-learning/. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024, it says “We learned in our research that community organizations with a deep grasp of what the utility does allows these groups to hold the utility accountable, identify positive aspects of the utility operations and be empathetic to challenges facing utilities” This helps to prove with the work of everyone’s help things can get done and it gives us essential idea of how to go about the problem.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) specializing in environmental and water resources bring ability and resources to the table. They are adept at organizing educational programs, workshops, and community activities that highlight the importance of water conservation. NGOs often collaborate with local communities to implement sustainable water management practices, thereby fostering a sense of ownership and active participation among community members. These organizations work on community development and can help mobilize community support, provide funding and facilitate training and education programs.
Educators also play an impactful role by integrating water-related topics into the school curriculum. By educating students about the significance of water conservation from an early age, they instill a sense of environmental stewardship that can last a lifetime. School projects, science fairs, and field trips related to water conservation can actively engage students and their families, spreading awareness beyond the classroom.
The media, with its vast reach, is another powerful driver. Campaigns on radio, television, and social media can give information about the importance of water and how to conserve it. The media can keep water issues on the public agenda, ensuring that they receive the necessary attention and action.
To keep community interest, continuous education, community involvement, incentives for conservation practices, and transparent communication about water management challenges and progress are essential. By combining these efforts, the community can remain engaged and committed to sustainable water conservation practices.
Creating a stakeholder profile for community engagement in water infrastructure involves finding and detailing the roles and contributions of various groups and individuals. This important because effective community engagement in water infrastructure projects relies on understanding and addressing the diverse needs and concerns of different stakeholders. By creating stakeholders we can enforce communication, build trust within the community, identify key influencers, address potential issues early to avoid conflicts and delays, and enhance project success.
According to Eric. “The Ultimate Guide to Community Engagement for Field Engineers in the Water Industry.” Racoman.com, RACO Manufacturing & Engineering Co., 14 June 2024, www.racoman.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-community-engagement-for-field-engineers-in-the-water-industry?srsltid=AfmBOooEisGpoZTSkkS9aUCZfzSAetXROX0-97aeaDiwcLQRIbWsSghZ. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024. “In the water industry, community engagement plays a crucial role in ensuring successful water management projects. As field engineers, it is essential to understand and master the art of community engagement to effectively address the needs of the communities we serve”. These would include the residents and community members, who are the primary users of the water infrastructure. They can provide firsthand knowledge on the patterns of water use, problems, and community needs. This helps in the tailoring of solutions for the improvement of water services, ensuring that they are user-friendly. In engaging them, publicity on surveys, public meetings, focus groups, and social media platforms can be used in soliciting input and keeping them abreast of happenings
The contribution of local government officials, however, lies in serving as policy maker and administrator for local development. This may involve policymaking, securing approvals from regulatory agencies, providing funding, and considering larger community plans. In so doing, they signal their participation through collaborative planning sessions, public consultations that enhance accountability and transparency.
The role of environmental groups is to advocate for sustainable and eco-friendly practices. Their contributions offer expertise in areas of conversation, sustainability practices, and protection of local water resources. Strategies for their engagement involve partnerships in environmental impact assessments, workshops, and educational campaigns on sustainable water management practices. The involvement of health and safety agencies is very similar as well. It is supposed to act as the guardian of public health and safety standards. Their contributions ensure that water infrastructures meet set health and safety standards, preventing contamination that will make supply unreliable. Their strategies for engagement include compliance checks and public health campaigns to inform the community about safe water practices.
The role of educational institutions has to do with research, innovation, and education. They could begin to conduct research on water management, come up with innovative solutions, and spread awareness among the students and the community. Their strategies of engagement in this case would include things like collaborative research projects, educational programs, and outreach initiatives in the community.
NGOs can be relied upon to advocate for community development and support. This may include community support, funding, and holding training and education programs on water management. Regarding strategies of engagement, they may provide community workshops, advocacy campaigns, and engagement with local authorities.
These very important agencies in this case are the Media and Communication Outlets. This is where, for instance, their role is that of informers and educators of the public, in helping to send information, awareness, and keeping the community informed of progress and the benefits accruing thereof from water infrastructure projects. Their engagements may include press releases, media briefings, and public information campaigns. By doing so, this ensures that their involvement secures comprehensive engagement by these parties in terms of meeting the needs and concerns of all parties in the development process of water infrastructure.
Stakeholders
Effective water infrastructure has to include the involvement of a vast number of stakeholders to guarantee sustainable management and equitable access. A stakeholder analysis identifies important groups apart or affected by water infrastructure projects, their interests, and the potential impact of their involvement (Cardwell & Langsdale, 2022). The primary stakeholders are residents who directly depend on water infrastructure for daily needs (Manager & Trappett, 2023). Their interests include access to clean and reliable water, affordability, and minimal disruption during construction or maintenance (Cardwell & Langsdale, 2022). Developing plans for the local communities such as surveys and public meetings that can help identify their concerns and preferences will be beneficial in ensuring that the infrastructure meets their needs and isn’t harming the community. Local, state, and federal government bodies are crucial in regulating and funding water infrastructure projects. Elected officials should do and maintain actions such as ensuring compliance with environmental and health regulations, up-to-date checks on the infrastructures, and efficient use of public funds. Collaboration with government agencies is essential for securing permits, funding, and policy support (“National Environmental Justice Advisory Council: Water Infrastructure White Paper,” 2019). Collaborating within a community will also allow everyone to communicate and be on the same page about what’s happening. This will allow the community to know the truth about how good or bad the infrastructure in the area really is. Doing these actions could help create a sense of urgency within the community to make the stakeholders want to help.
All stakeholders should speak up for the protection of natural resources and ecosystems. Their interests include minimizing the environmental impact of water infrastructure projects and promoting sustainable practices. Involving environmental organizations such as Heartlands or the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation in the planning process can help identify potential ecological risks and develop strategies to mitigate them (Cardwell & Langsdale, 2022). When working with organizations like the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation and Heartlands Conservancy, it’s essential to highlight how these projects can benefit the local community and align with their missions.
Additionally, we could learn from environmental organizations with things such as advice and clarification about water infrastructures. Companies involved in the construction, maintenance, and operation of water infrastructure have a personal stake in the project’s success and their concerns include profitability, project timelines, and regulatory compliance (“National Environmental Justice Advisory Council: Water Infrastructure White Paper,” 2019). Companies involved also could have a negative impact by doing little actions like littering. Littering can start small but cause huge problems in many different ways. Monitoring stakeholders’ actions could possibly help vastly, allowing us to see where certain problems with the water infrastructures stem from.
Engaging with the private sector through contracts and partnerships can leverage their expertise and resources (Manager & Trappett, 2023). One example of this is Codes at SIUE joining a team with the organizations Heartlands and the Jackie Joyner Foundation. The Codes cohort as stakeholders can and should contribute technical knowledge and innovative solutions to water infrastructure challenges. Our interests include group work, research opportunities, working within the community, data collection, and applying our knowledge and findings together. Engaging with academia can provide valuable insights and evidence-based approaches to project planning and implementation (Cardwell & Langsdale, 2022). Including educational programs into water infrastructure projects can provide valuable learning opportunities for young people. Additionally, engaging with academia can help handle a wicked problem from a different perspective with knowledge about different ideas from a new generation.
Engaging stakeholders aged 18-25 is crucial as they and their children will represent the future of the community. This age group is typically concerned with environmental sustainability, social justice, and technological innovation. Using social media and digital platforms can be an effective way to reach, engage, and motivative this age group towards issues.
Water infrastructure is important for providing access to clean and reliable water. Stakeholders use water for fundamental activities like health, cooking hygiene, swimming, gardening, and daily living necessities. For stakeholders aged 18-25, the importance of water infrastructure might not be immediately apparent because they may not yet own property or be responsible for household water bills. However, educating them about the long-term benefits of sustainable water management, such as environmental protection and resilience against climate change, can highlight its significance (Cardwell & Langsdale, 2022). Making this age group more aware and involved will allow them to get more educated to help before and during problems with water infrastructure.
The quality of the water infrastructures can have a significant effect on stakeholders’ property values. Reliable and efficient water systems can increase property values by ensuring a consistent water supply and reducing the risk of water-related issues such as flooding or contamination (“National Environmental Justice Advisory Council: Water Infrastructure White Paper,” 2019). For young adults aged 18-25, understanding the connection between properties and water is important if they want to be future homeowners or renters, as it will impact their living conditions and investment potential. Water infrastructure also supports local businesses, schools, and public facilities, contributing to the overall quality of life. Expressing how water infrastructure supports these daily activities can help promote its importance to this demographic.
The cost of water infrastructure projects can be a concern for all stakeholders. For the demographic stakeholders ages 18-25, affordability is key, as they may have limited financial resources due to things such as college. Communicating about the costs, funding sources, and long-term economic benefits of water infrastructure projects can help build trust and support among this age group.
Improving water infrastructure can help benefit the community in many different ways and places. Doing so will especially help under severed parts of the community such as East St Louis. Improved water systems can lead to better health outcomes.
The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation focuses on empowering youth through education and athletics. Workshops, internships, and volunteer opportunities can teach them about water management, environmental knowledge, greenhouses, planting and the importance of sustainable practices. By involving youth in these projects, we can inspire and create the next generation of environmental leaders and advocates to help the community.
Heartland’s Conservancy is dedicated to protecting natural resources and promoting sustainable development. Collaborating with this environmental organization can help make sure that projects are both effective, informal, environmentally responsible, protecting local ecosystems and improving water quality.
Sharing examples of successful water infrastructure projects can provide a vision of what can be achieved through collaborations of different stakeholders. Providing data such as reduced flooding incidents, improved water quality measurements, environmental impacts, or increased water supply can demonstrate the benefits of these projects.
Outlining the long-term goals of the partnership between the 2028 Codes cohort, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, and Heartlands Conservancy can provide a clear vision for the future. By working together we can create lasting positive change, ensuring that communities have access to clean water and a healthy environment for generations to come.
The Causal Chain Analysis
When explaining issues regarding water, it can be said that community engagement provides citizens with the opportunity to become informed about the water infrastructure within their community. Causal chain analysis is a model that helps stakeholders identify and address the root causes of a problem. More importantly, the causal chain analysis breaks down a problem into their underlying causes, first by identifying them. That said, many communities run into similar root causes of a broken water infrastructure, including aging infrastructure and pollution. Furthermore, the analysis helps stakeholders visualize the chain reaction being caused by the issue. This step helps us critically understand the links towards certain causes, while being able to critically think of ways to resolve the issue. The chain analysis also helps stakeholders evaluate long-term solutions, while assessing the potential solutions and their consequences: In the case of determining how the community can be informed about water infrastructure starts with community-wide meetings. This can be in the form of a public hearing or informational. Meeting in-person is a wonderful way to involve stakeholders in determining an issue. Countries such as China are making large strides to further understand the sciences behind water treatment. In Beijing, the city has created an International Conference that reaches scientists from all over the world. Mr. Hao’s article on this advancement should inspire cities within the US to share knowledge regarding water science. He states that “with the 2009 Internation Conference on Sustainable Water Infrastructure for Cities and Villages of the Future, held in Beijing, we built an academic platform to attract top research and science papers, helping to advance the water sciences regarding sustainable development (Hao pg. 1)”. Creating worldwide seminars such as the International Conference will help bridge the gap in inequities regarding water infrastructure. Specifically, it gives cities an equitable chance to learn from professionals, in hopes they rebuild their infrastructure at home.
Next Steps
Luna Leopold stated, “Water is the most critical resource issue of our lifetime and our children’s lifetime. The health of our water is the principal measure of how we live on the land – Luna Lepold.” This quote emphasizes the strong influence that water has on our everyday lives. Therefore, scientists such as Luna Lepold believe that we as people have the power to educate each other on good environmental practices. Organizations such as the Jackie-Joyner Kersee Foundation and Heartlands Conservancy could expand their programming to service 18–25-year-olds who are interested in water education. Investing in water education for young adults allows them to understand the impact of pollutants and the role that water plays in our ecosystem.
Why aren’t young adults educated about water? This question can be answered by a number of influencing factors. One of the factors that play an active role in the lack of education are assumptions made by organizations and government entities. Both entities assume that adults have learned or coame across water science at some point in their lives. In this caseHowever many adults haven’t learned about the concepts or practices regarding water sustainability that ensure benefits to the community and themselves. Cambridge professor Gillian Dale conducted a survey that was administered in six countries: Australia, Canada, India, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States. The goal of the survey was to analyze whether respondents could identify principles associated with water resilience. Professor Gillan states that “We focus our attention on individual attitudes and how they manifest or affect changes at broader, societal levels. This is a complex relationship, mediated by many potential variables that influence system change. Transformation to sustainable water governance requires a whole-of-society approach (Dale pg. 1)”. Dale’s approach towards water resilience helps us realize that water education is something that communities need to prioritize. Furthermore, addressing the lack of water education that is being taught in schools lies as another factor. Missing the mark at early ages causes communities to suffer in the future. Educational systems have the ability to teach kids from early ages about water management and sustainability. Instead of covering surface-level issues, it is vital that schools provide learning where kids can understand the importance of positive water practices. Ultimately, root causes such as lack of education negatively affect the future of water sustainability for many communities. It is critical that communities recognize bad ecological practices and encourage young adults who play an active role in the environment to become informed.
How can we take action? There are various ways that citizens, organizations, and the government can take to inform 18–25-year-olds on water education. Advocating the need for water education is the first step when wanting to take action. Addressing that water education is important for ecological sustainability across the community. Engaging with local water entities could help break down the items that need to be taught. Secondly, involving us with organizations or groups that discuss water education. This strategy can be marketed through social media to engage the age group of 18–25-year-olds.
Project WET (Water Education for Teachers)
Projects such as Project Wet are great examples to use to engage young adults with water infrastructure. The Water Education Foundation supplies teachers with training and materials to help teachers teach positive water practices. Not only that but the Water Education Foundation utilizes interactive activities that are compatible with all ages and learning styles. We can act in many ways such as in partnering with local organizations and the government to provide educational resources for adults.
Complex Systems
When figuring out the complex systems and learning how to keep people engaged and informed about water infrastructure in their communities, it could be a hard task at hand. Complex systems are made up of many interconnected components or parts, where the interactions between these parts give rise to behaviors and patterns that are not easily predictable. And understanding them often requires studying how the individual components interact at large scales, rather than just focusing on the individual parts. With that, we can use complex systems to figure out how to keep the community engaged about water and keep them connected. And the purpose of keeping the community engaged about water and helping them stay connected about what is going on in the community is because it’s essential for ensuring the sustainability, resilience, and equity of water systems.
Water infrastructure consists of networks for water supply, treatment, distribution, and wastewater management which has an impact on public health, the environment, and economic stability. Community engagement is critical for several reasons like, promoting substantive water use and conservation to adopt sustainable practices, enhance community resilience so that people could be able to respond to an issue more effectively, and encourage civic responsibility and participation so that involving residents in decision-making promote a sense of ownership and responsibility. Engaging communities in water infrastructure issues is not just about spreading information, it’s also about promoting a sense of shared responsibility for a vital resource. By keeping people involved and informed, communities can help shape policies and advocate for equitable access, promote conservation, and support sustainable management practices.
Complex systems can provide important insights for improving water infrastructure in communities. Really by addressing the challenges of managing water resources or adapting to changing conditions like climate change or population growth. Water infrastructure is a multifaceted system, which means, not only does it involve not just physical elements like pipes and treatment plants for example, but also social, economic, and environmental factors.
Some ways that complex systems can be applied to enhance water infrastructure in communities that can be a multifaceted approach is educating people around 18-25 years old about water infrastructure in communities. This age group is generally well-connected to digital media and social issues, so just a combination of interactive learning and hands on experience can be highly effective.
Some ways we can keep this age group informed and engaged about water infrastructure is to utilize digital platforms and social media. We can use social media platforms like Instagram, to make reels and grab viewers’ attention by videos that explain water infrastructure concepts in creative ways. Another way we can keep this group informed and engaged about water infrastructure is to host hands-on workshops or events. Things like these can be very effective, for this age group who often learn best by doing. Some workshops that can be considered are workshops on water conservation. This helps develop water saving techniques, like rainwater harvesting or creating simple home filtration systems.
Overall, to effectively educate young adults about water infrastructure, we must figure out ways that are interactive, engaging, and socially relevant. And combining digital content with real-world experiences, peer engagement, and focus on sustainability makes the issue of water infrastructure not only understandable but also motivating, by connecting the topic to the things they care about, like climate change, equity, and innovation. We can help this generation, or this specific age group, take action and become better advocates for better water systems in their communities. This education and any actions as result of the education, willt help people now and residents in the future.
Works Cited
Baird, Julia, Gillian Dale, and Gary Pickering. “Attitudes toward water resilience and potential for improvement.” Global Sustainability, vol. 6, 2023. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/attitudes-toward-water-resilience-potential/docview/2900492997/se-2, doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2023.23.
Nestle. “Project WET (Water Education for Teachers).” Photograph. Flickr August 3, 2015. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nestle/20249983862
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “National Environmental Justice Advisory Council: Water Infrastructure White Paper.” 2019. Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-05/documents/nejac_white_paper_water-final-3-1-19.pdf. Accessed [10/30].
Cardwell, Langsdale. “Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainable Water Management.” Aqua, vol. 71, no. 10, 2022, pp. 1095-1110. https://iwaponline.com/aqua/article/71/10/1095/91431/Stakeholder-engagement-for-sustainable-water. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
Manager, Consultation, and Laura Trappett. “Community Engagement vs. Stakeholder Engagement.” Consultation Manager | the #1 Stakeholder Relationship Management Solution, 23 Aug. 2023, www.consultationmanager.com/community-engagement-vs-stakeholder-engagement-whats-the-difference/. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
JJK – Foundation. jjkfoundation.org/.