Water Resources Professional Project Reports

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

Fall 2018

Abstract

The depletion of aquifers and reduced surface water flows are a growing concern for water managers. Educational outreach and incentives to promote conservation have been a growing trend over the past couple of decades in the arid Southwestern United States, including Albuquerque, New Mexico. Rebates for the installation of water efficient appliances and xeric landscape conversions are a couple of ways that water authorities incentivize their residential consumers to do their part at home to conserve water. This study involves a survey sent to a random sample of 2,215 Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority residential customers, with a 31% response rate. The objective was to determine why residents are not participating in available water rebate programs. Less than 50% were even aware of the rebates available and significantly less participated. Respondents were also asked about their concern for various local topics, knowledge and concern of where their water comes from, where they may have learned about rebates, and what voluntary conservation efforts they participate in. The results and commentary collected, from this survey, show the advertising and dissemination of useful information regarding rebates are in need of reevaluation to reach a wider range of the residential population. Broadening the existing areas of communication through local contractors and retailers, taking advantage of the variety of social media platforms, and addressing the economic and technological restrictions for low and fixed-income customers are some of the suggestions proposed.

Language (ISO)

English

Keywords

Water, rebate, residential, water authority, aquifers, southwest, albuquerque

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