Messaging can save millions of gallons of water a month
Based on Heather Hodges, Colin Kuehl, Sarah E. Anderson, Phillip J. Ehret, and Cameron Brick. 2020. "How Managers Can Reduce Household Water Use Through Communication: A Field Experiment." Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.
To encourage water conservation as climate change makes drought worse, water district managers should invest in effective messaging campaigns that promote household behavior change.
The Policy Problem
Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of droughts even as populations increase. In the face of unprecedented water shortages, water district managers need to find ways to encourage household water conservation. One approach that water districts regularly use is sending emails, websites and physical mailers to encourage voluntary reductions in water use. However, many messaging campaigns focus on highlighting water scarcity, even though psychological science suggests that knowledge of a problem is usually not enough to change behavior. Instead, people need a personal reason to use less water.
Key Findings and Proposed Solutions
Messaging to 10,000 households in a California water district reduced water usage by an average of 500 gallons in the first month.
Water managers should invest in messaging campaigns to reduce water usage.
Local agencies’ communication to residents should always include three messaging components: information about the problem, a motivation prompt to solve it, and concrete suggestions for behavioral skills to change consumption patterns.
Water districts should target high-use households, as they were more responsive to mailers.