Forging Powerful and Sustainable Relationships Between Clean Water Agencies and the Community

This project investigated how clean water agencies (CWAs) can leverage emotional motivators in public engagement programs to create longstanding relationships with the community. Effective messaging and educational materials and/or programs that take advantage of research on emotional connectors is vital to tangibly demonstrate the value of water and the technology that creates clean water. The project objectives were to:

1. Assess which emotional motivators and customer engagement practices are most pertinent to, and effective in, fostering sustainable community relationships for water utilities and in different local contexts.
2. Identify leading practices in customer engagement (generation of value, use of technology, use of emotional motivators, measurement and evaluation of impact) to develop practical recommendations and tools that support water agencies in adopting these practices, dependent on organizational context.

A self-assessment tool was developed to assist CWAs in understanding their current levels of progress towards a strategic framework consisting of three key stages: (1) building awareness, (2) establishing common ground, and (3) creating engagement. The tool can be found below, under Web Tools.

Downloading this webtool constitutes acceptance of the terms outlined in our End User License Agreement.