Public Perceptions of Water Quality

David, E. L.

doi:10.1029/wr007i003p00453

Cited by 51 publications

(28 citation statements)

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“…For example, the biodiversity of aquatic invertebrates, one of the WFD metrics, may be irrelevant for swimmers and boaters. The presence of litter or debris, in contrast, might discourage water use although it has little impact on the status of a water body [45–49]. Water temperature contributes to status assessments, but reference conditions may be cooler than those preferred by swimmers [50].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Quality Is a Poor Predictor of Recreational Hotspots in England

et al. 2016

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Maintaining and improving water quality is key to the protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems, which provide important benefits to society. In Europe, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) defines water quality based on a set of biological, hydro-morphological and chemical targets, and aims to reach good quality conditions in all river bodies by the year 2027. While recently it has been argued that achieving these goals will deliver and enhance ecosystem services, in particular recreational services, there is little empirical evidence demonstrating so. Here we test the hypothesis that good water quality is associated with increased utilization of recreational services, combining four surveys covering walking, boating, fishing and swimming visits, together with water quality data for all water bodies in eight River Basin Districts (RBDs) in England. We compared the percentage of visits in areas of good water quality to a set of null models accounting for population density, income, age distribution, travel distance, public access, and substitutability. We expect such association to be positive, at least for fishing (which relies on fish stocks) and swimming (with direct contact to water). We also test if these services have stronger association with water quality relative to boating and walking alongside rivers, canals or lakeshores. In only two of eight RBDs (Northumbria and Anglian) were both criteria met (positive association, strongest for fishing and swimming) when comparing to at least one of the null models. This conclusion is robust to variations in dataset size. Our study suggests that achieving the WFD water quality goals may not enhance recreational ecosystem services, and calls for further empirical research on the connection between water quality and ecosystem services.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Quality Is a Poor Predictor of Recreational Hotspots in England

et al. 2016

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“…Unusual color was perceived as an indicator of bad WQ . Murky or dark water was perceived as suggestive of pollution …”

Section: Visual Cues Influencing Human Perceptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optical water quality and human perceptions: a synthesis

2015

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Because humans have such strong physical and emotional connections to water in the environment, it follows that individuals and groups will have strong ideas and expectations of that environment that must be related to visible features. Optical water quality describes the scattering and absorption of light in water as governed by its dissolved and particulate composition. Mineral suspended sediment, dissolved organic matter, and living and nonliving particulate organic matter have different influences on the behavior of light in water. The physical sciences endeavor to define variability in water quality, be it natural or anthropogenic, for use in water resource management. However, a more holistic approach to water resource management is becoming increasingly advocated, which requires investigation of the human dimension. The directly visible attributes of color and clarity of water are among the strongest influences on human perceptions of water quality. The observed environment is perceived through cognitive processes that are defined by spiritual and cultural beliefs and evolve with personal experience, creating the mental model. Water color and clarity can provide a critical link between water quality and human perceptions. Ethnohydrology is the study of culturally constructed knowledge and understanding of water. An interdisciplinary approach, integrating optical water quality measurement and ethnohydrology methods, may help achieve better awareness, communication, participation, and support in water resource management and sustainability endeavors.

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“…As early as the 1970s, studies have concluded that the recreator's perception of water quality is limited to what can be sensed through sight and smell. David (1971) found little correlation between those characteristics respondents described when defining pollution and the most widely used empirical indicators. In her survey, respondents indicated that algae and murky, dark water were perceptual indicators of pollution.…”

Section: Recreation Perception Studiesmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…In addition to empirical measurements, public perception of quality is a critical indicator of the success of policies implemented to restore and protect river quality, particularly as it pertains to a river 's suitability for recreation. Researchers have concluded that it is "perceived" quality of a water body and not necessarily "actual" quality that most influences recreational demand and enjoyment (Train, 1998;Binkley and Hanemann, 1978;David, 1971). A number of past studies have found that recreators' perceptions of quality may not match the actual quality as measured by empirical parameters used to determine compliance with regulatory standards.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

OVERCOMING THE NATION'S BEST LANDSCAPED SEWER: RECREATORS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER¹

Mullens¹,

Bristow

2003

J American Water Resour Assoc

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Once referred to as America's “best landscaped sewer,” the Connecticut has undergone a dramatic transformation in the last three decades. During this time, a number of public agencies and private organizations have worked diligently to implement policies and measures aimed at improving the river's quality. Ample data collected over the years indicate that the actual water quality conditions of the Connecticut River, as measured by empirical parameters, have improved. However, prior to this study, no data existed regarding the public's perceptions of these changes. This paper will address this issue by presenting the results of a multiyear survey designed to assess the public's perceptions regarding the Connecticut's current quality, and its suitability in supporting various recreational activities. The results suggest that the majority of individuals perceive the Connecticut's water quality to be high enough to support a wide range of recreational activities including those involving physical contact with the water. Additionally, this research concludes that the vast majority of individuals who have recreated on the river for 20 years or more do perceive a significant improvement in the river's overall quality. Thus, it appears that policies and actions taken to improve the Connecticut's quality have been successful in the public's eye.

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Public Perceptions of Water Quality

Cited by 51 publications

References 0 publications

Water Quality Is a Poor Predictor of Recreational Hotspots in England

Water Quality Is a Poor Predictor of Recreational Hotspots in England

Optical water quality and human perceptions: a synthesis

OVERCOMING THE NATION'S BEST LANDSCAPED SEWER: RECREATORS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER¹

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Public Perceptions of Water Quality

Cited by 51 publications

References 0 publications

Water Quality Is a Poor Predictor of Recreational Hotspots in England

Water Quality Is a Poor Predictor of Recreational Hotspots in England

Optical water quality and human perceptions: a synthesis

OVERCOMING THE NATION'S BEST LANDSCAPED SEWER: RECREATORS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER1

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OVERCOMING THE NATION'S BEST LANDSCAPED SEWER: RECREATORS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER¹