A Survey of Perceptions and Attitudes about Water Issues in Oklahoma: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Understanding people’s perceptions of the environment, drinking water issues, and protecting and preserving water resources is of great importance. This study aims to assess and compare the perceptions of the general public (n = 414), post‐secondary students (n = 103), and water professionals (n = 104) in Oklahoma on water issues in the state. To address these goals, a 53‐item paper questionnaire was first administered to a randomly sampled mailing list of Oklahoma residents. As a follow up to the initial survey, post‐secondary students at Oklahoma State University were sampled in addition to Oklahoma water professionals at regional conferences. Respondents ranged from 18 to over 65 years old, with all three demographics agreeing the top water priority to be clean drinking water. The majority were satisfied with their home water supply and felt it was safe to drink, while they were not sure of the quality of ground and/or surface water. Age was a key factor in information delivery and learning preferences as the older participants favored print material versus the younger demographic interest in technology. Data collected via this study provide insight into the perceptions, priorities, and learning preferences of these three populations. Despite our finding that clean water is a priority in Oklahoma, regardless of demographic, results suggest more education and outreach is needed to provide additional information regarding water in Oklahoma.

What We Know about Water: A Water Literacy Review

“…Cooper and Cockerill [6] found, as compared to the public, students were less concerned about future household water supply and thought less about water conservation. Conversely, Eck et al [74] found that of 27 water issues in Oklahoma, USA, two of the most important issues identified by students, the public, and professionals alike were clean drinking water and clean rivers and lakes. However, students diverged from the other groups in assigning particularly high importance to agricultural water and land preservation and practices.…”

“…Perceptions related to drinking water quality among students is also a topic that has been surveyed with some breadth. Students often show a high trust in the safety of drinking water [70,74], though high school students may still prefer to drink bottled water [72]. Either due to or regardless of misconceptions, German undergraduates accepted the idea of using recycled water, particularly for non-consumptive uses [68].…”

“…Either due to or regardless of misconceptions, German undergraduates accepted the idea of using recycled water, particularly for non-consumptive uses [68]. The majority (>50%) of surveyed college students in Oklahoma, USA, supported the use of recycled produced water from oil and gas for industrial or agricultural purposes unrelated to consumption, but only the minority supported the use for improving stream flows or for drinking water [74].…”

Perceived Importance of Water Issues and Factors Affecting Learning Opportunities in Oklahoma

“…Similar to previous regional studies [14,30,39], Oklahoma residents considered clean drinking water, clean rivers, and clean underground water to be the highest priority water related issues in the state. A comparative study of different water stakeholders (residents, students, water professionals) also found clean water as a major issue in the state [40]. Although residents perceived all water issues to be important, we were able to cluster respondents into distinct groups based on their level of perceived importance of each water issue.…”

Oklahoma's perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs related to water resources and their management: A decade long look

“…More effective delivery will be required as well. These efforts will require the use of printed materials and television (for those over 50), along with social media and informational videos (for those under 34) to reach the broader public (Eck et al, 2019).…”