Water knowledge and understandings of that knowledge are multiplicitous, yet overthirsty western, industrialized approaches to both knowledge and use prevail.
- Shé Mackenzie Hawke
Water Literacy
The public is at the heart of all water management systems. Communities drive water demand, shape water quality, and influence the funding or approval of water management programs. Yet, most urbanized landscapes are physically separated from their water systems, and people turn on the tap without much thought about the infrastructure used to deliver that water. I spend a large amount of time communicating water-related topics to the public, and I am almost always met with immediate interest and curiosity about water during these conversations. But I have also noticed consistently low levels of knowledge about water uses and systems among the public, often paired with water-wasting behaviors.
In academia, we call the combination of water-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors water literacy. Research corroborates my observations that the general public often holds low levels of water literacy, which is highly problematic. Increasing water demands, pollution issues, and impacts from climate change are forcing water managers to adapt current water systems in new and innovative ways. More and more, the public will have a direct impact on the success of these adaptations, whether through the support and approval to fund alternative water sources like recycled wastewater and desalination, or through participation in water use policies and campaigns like water conservation. But we also know that water uses and needs are tied directly to our social and cultural systems. As Hawke implies in the quote above, our current water systems typically lack recognition of any water uses and needs that differ from dominant westernized views.
Much of my work centers around this concept of water literacy and its importance within the realm of sustainable water management. This page highlights several of the projects I have engaged with specifically related to water literacy, and where I hope to take it in the future.
Water Literacy Literature Review
The concept of water literacy is relatively new and evolving as the public becomes more prominent in the achievement of water sustainability. However, the term has been used in many different contexts towards many different ends, and thus it can be difficult to know what one really means when they say water literacy.
We conducted a systematic review of literature that defines or describes in detail either “water literacy” or “watershed literacy”. From this, we suggest a new holistic framework (pictured to the right) for water literacy to guide a more inclusive, relevant use of the concept. We then utilized the framework to examine existing surveys and studies of water knowledge, attitudes and behaviors in both student and adult populations, and summarized water literacy levels and knowledge gaps that exist around the world. To conclude, we suggest using a suite of approaches drawn from the published literature, including enhanced visuals, place-based learning, interdisciplinary curricula, and reflective and iterative development of future water literacy initiatives.
The final review has been published in Water, an open-access journal, and you may download it for free here: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/10/2803
DU Campus Water Literacy
April 2021 - 2022
DU Water Literacy Photovoice Project
College students are the next generation of decision-makers and water-bill payers. How they perceive and interact with water should be of great importance to local water managers. Yet, they are not typically recognized as a unique target audience for water education and outreach.
From April - June 2021, I facilitated a photovoice project that delved into the water-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of 8 University of Denver students. Collectively, their photographs and statements highlight how the students interact with and learn about water, how water in the Denver area differs from their home states/countries, and what concerns or worries they have regarding our water resources.
Engaging Decision-makers with DU Water Literacy
One of the three main goals of any photovoice project is to reach policymakers, and this can occur in many different ways. At the very least, relevant policymakers and decision-makers are invited to the public exhibit at the end of the project. It's even better if they are more directly engaged throughout the entire photovoice process, including participating in the workshops or even assisting with project development and design. Unfortunately, direct participation from local water managers during this photovoice project was low due to COVID-19 restrictions/complications. In response, I led a team of undergraduate students during the '21-'22 academic year who shaped this project into the interactive StoryMap shown below. This allowed us share the project more widely with more context than the photos alone could provide, as well as build a sense of continuity into the project as a whole. Additionally, there is an opportunity for other DU students who wish to contribute their own photographs to do so at the end of the StoryMap.
Explore the StoryMap yourself below, or click this link to open it in a new window.
