'Cache Valley Resident Perspectives on Water Reuse'
Plenary Speaker |
Abstract: |
Water supply concerns have led some municipalities to incorporate treated wastewater into their secondary and other water systems. In Northern Utah’s Cache Valley, water reuse occurs minimally in Logan and Wellsville for small scale agricultural use, and to a greater extent in Hyrum for secondary irrigation water. This study evaluates Hyrum and Logan residents’ attitudes and perceptions of health risk regarding water reuse for irrigation purposes. Data were collected via a drop-off/pick-up survey in 2018. Findings show that Hyrum and Logan respondents generally support the idea of using reclaimed water for agricultural and residential irrigation, though they have a range of perspectives on potential health risks involved with using reclaimed water for irrigation and other uses. We present an array of survey findings on secondary water use by local residents in addition to attitudes about water reuse. These results may provide insights for municipal leaders and local water managers to enable incorporating public perspectives into their decision-making processes. |
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