There is much to be learnt from examining the factors behind the successes and failures of recycled water projects. The key elements for the successful
implementation of potable reuse projects identified from this case study research are outlined below.
9.3.1 The importance of context
This case study research has indicated that the successful implementation of reuse projects depends to some extent, on the contextual drivers of each particular site. For example, the implementation of the Californian sites was driven by the need for an independent water supply, prevention of saltwater intrusion, and reduction of wastewater discharges into the ocean. In Western Australia, it appears that long- term water shortages and a subsequent public awareness of water issues has enhanced acceptance of the groundwater replenishment project. In contrast, in SEQ rainfall and restored dam levels (and thus decreased urgency for the project)
combined with negative media reports caused a significant drop in community support for the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme.
The contextual differences between each of the case study sites were highlighted through the wide-ranging variance in preferred recycled water terminology across sites. As every recycled water project is different, interviewees emphasised that “there is no cookie cutter approach”. It is important to examine the particular
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community and develop a strategic outreach plan that fits that community and its experience (Tennyson, 2013).
9.3.2 Long-term approach to stakeholder engagement and communications
Communications experts consistently emphasised the critical importance of a long- term approach to the implementation of potable reuse projects. Having a
communications strategy that engaged with all stakeholders (community, politicians, policy/regulation professionals, media) from the very beginning, and continuing to engage was described as key. As one interviewee put it:
“You can't just develop the public trust once you're trying to sell the project. That's something that takes a longer-term investment”.
In SEQ, engagement for the Western Corridor project had to be rushed due to the urgency of needing an additional water supply. As this SEQ respondent stated: “I think the element about … messaging around recycled water, that is really, really important and what we didn't have is time. That proved to be really important in the Orange County experience - the way that they engaged the public was over a long period of time”.
In contrast, the groundwater replenishment project in Perth has been a long-term process which has been successful in gradually building up community trust. “I think part of the success here so far is that the system has been very slow to give the community time to digest and to understand and the Corporation is trying to, their best to inform the community… So if you look at all; it has been so many years of work and the community has been slowly, slowly moving on that. We have obviously water issues but it doesn’t happen in the east at the moment, so it's a recent
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situation, but for us this is still a very dry state. People are conscious on that, so it seems that there's a slow increase in the acceptance of the project”.
9.3.3 Comprehensive engagement strategies
All case study participants emphasised the importance of having a comprehensive, sustained engagement strategy and constantly engaging with all stakeholders (community, policy/ regulation professionals, elected officials, and the media). As these interviewees articulated:
“So we (communication professionals) knew we weren’t going to change people's views in two minutes. I think constancy and consistency are the key aspects to it. So we've just kept doing it. I think that's one of the key messages: you don't just go out there, stick it in everybody's face and then move away - it doesn't work like that. You have to be consistent. You have to use as many channels as possible and you have to track it”.
“That was focused on ensuring that they understood the science, ensuring they understood the process, understood the regulatory regime, all of that sort of stuff. That was about building, in the longer term, advocates who would openly support the process in the community”.
“I think regardless of where your project is trying to be implemented and regardless of cultural differences, political differences and views, bottom line is you have to get out and inform people and communicate and talk to as many people as you possibly can, and you have to be flexible”.
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9.3.4 Begin with a trial/demonstration project
One of the key differences between SEQ and the other case study sites is that given the urgency of the project, there was not time to firstly develop an official
demonstration project (or in Orange County’s case, non-potable groundwater replenishment) before attempting to implement a permanent potable reuse project. Interviewees from a range of stakeholder groups from the Orange County, San Diego and WA sites consistently cited a demonstration/trial project as critical to gaining stakeholder confidence. These participants reported that conducting an initial trial allows time to build up data demonstrating the safety of the water, establish appropriate health regulations and stakeholder confidence in the safety of the project. As this respondent from Orange County stated:
“So we build upon 40 years of trust and data, from that previous water recycling project, and that helped us tremendously to be able to go out into the community and talk about an existing project… had the data to support it, and that trust. So that definitely led to the public accepting our project. Trust is key”.
9.3.5 Visitor centre
The importance of having a visitor centre as an integral part of the communications strategy was also identified by both technical and communication professionals as key to the success of recycled water projects.
“It's a component of a communication strategy. The more people you can walk through the whole process the more people will support it. So you can't deny the education aspect of it. You can't deny the information aspect of it. So the more information you've got - but targeted at the right level - the better your results will be”.
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9.3.6 Ongoing communication
Communication experts and industry professionals all agreed that it is important to understand that successful implementation of recycled water projects means that the communication and engagement process is never over.
“I don't think it's over. I don't think it's successful - us deciding it's a successful trial and to break into a dance … one of our GM's eloquently puts it as this is not cutting it, this is kind of leading edge technology and you'll always be talking to the
community about what you're learning every day and why this is a good thing”.
“I don't think this is a set and forget process. So you have to keep - you have to maintain transparency. You have to be working with your regulators openly. You have to keep the community engaged. We found that really hard. It's really, really hard to get recycled water at the top of people's minds, if they're not worried about it. So continuing to make available information to the people that want it, that's current, I think is how we will keep maintaining a social licence to continue”.
Communication professionals also stressed the importance of conducting ongoing market research on public acceptance, and continuing to share the results with politicians, policy makers and regulators to build confidence.