Floridians are undecided about restrictions on water use, according to a survey by the PIE Center.
Water is a hot-button issue in the state of Florida, with both water quality and quantity issues becoming priorities for the state legislature, as well as within UF/IFAS.
The survey asked participants a variety of questions on water quality and quantity issues, including restrictions on water usage. Participants were asked to rate their support of restricted or unrestricted water use.
“As an aggregated whole, the public is right in the middle on this one,” said Alexa Lamm, assistant professor of public opinion analysis and faculty member in the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.
Participants remained fairly neutral, with a slight indication they would be more supportive of restrictions on water use. On a scale from one equaling support of unrestricted use to five equaling support of restricted use, participants’ scores averaged 3.34. Anything between 2.5 and 3.5 is considered neutral.
“That’s an example of hard choices, and it’s a freedom versus responsibility thing,” said Tracy Irani, PIE Center director and AEC faculty member. “Members of the public may want to support polices that conserve water in this way, but they also want the freedom to use water as they see fit.”
Several water usage awareness programs, such as Florida Friendly Landscaping and Florida Yards and Neighborhoods, currently conduct water education programs in the state.
“Water conservation efforts have been occurring,” Lamm said. “There has been more regulation of water and more people are aware that their landscape doesn’t need as much water as they once thought.”
Lamm and Irani agreed this response opened opportunities for more research on what participants would or wouldn’t be in favor of.
“The intent is to do this survey every year so that we collect a dataset over time that we can start trending what the public thinks about water,” Lamm said. “The only way to do that is to start collecting data. You have to start somewhere.”
Most Americans don’t boil our water unless there is a water main break, flood or plbuic announcement by the government. Our water supplier is supposed to notify us if our water doesn’t meet EPA or state standards or if there is a waterborne disease emergency. If we know all the contaminants in our water these days, we should take more precaution. Yeah, I agree, purifier + boiling is the best way to go! (I heard boiling alone doesn’t get rid of all the chemicals and metals in tap water)exile