Current Issue

Abstract

Water resources in historically water scarce regions such as Arequipa, Peru are vulnerable to changing conditions. Population growth and climate change are projected to be major threats to water availability in the region, while urban growth, informal mining, and agriculture threaten water quality. To address these concerns and others, the Arequipa Nexus Institute for Food, Energy, Water, and the Environment (the Arequipa Nexus Institute) was formed as a collaboration between Purdue University and the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín to address key challenges to a sustainable future for Arequipa through research. In this work, a vision for water-related extension programming in Arequipa was developed through three phases of data collection. Phases 1 and 2 involved semi-structured interviews and focus groups with agency personnel, community leaders, and farmers in Arequipa. The water education needs of stakeholders that could be addressed by water and environmental extension programming were identified. In Phase 3, a workshop of researchers from the Arequipa Nexus Institute used the data and their knowledge of institutional capacity to identify opportunities for the Institute to serve as a boundary organization facilitating communication and collaboration between scientists and stakeholders to support water extension and engagement in Arequipa. Water resources extension services provided by this boundary organization would include education about water quality, water allocation, and water use, as well as providing resources to improve public participation in water management. Water extension services could be part of a cross-cutting extension initiative within the Arequipa Nexus Institute, which would be responsible for accumulating research data and connecting them to both formal and informal stakeholders. The dual training nature of the boundary organization will serve to both increase public understanding of water concerns and the capacity of information generators in the university and agencies to engage with the public. This study is unique in combining both sides of the boundary (community needs and scientists’ perspectives) in developing the vision for this extension programming.

Spanish Translation

Abordar las Necesidades de Programación de Recursos Hídricos y Calidad Ambiental en Arequipa, Perú

Resumen: Los recursos hídricos en regiones históricamente escasas de agua como Arequipa, Perú, son vulnerables a las condiciones cambiantes. Se proyecta que el crecimiento de la población y el cambio climático serán las principales amenazas para la disponibilidad de agua en la región, mientras que el crecimiento urbano, la minería informal y la agricultura amenazan la calidad del agua. Para abordar estas preocupaciones y otras, el Instituto Nexus de Arequipa para alimentos, energía, agua y medio ambiente (el Instituto Nexus de Arequipa) se formó como una colaboración entre la Universidad de Purdue y la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín para abordar los desafíos clave para un futuro sostenible para Arequipa a través de la investigación. En este trabajo, se desarrolló una visión para la programación de extensión relacionada con el agua en Arequipa a través de tres fases de recolección de datos. En la Fase 1, las entrevistas semiestructuradas y la Fase 2, los grupos focales con personal de la agencia y líderes comunitarios en Arequipa, demostraron las necesidades de educación sobre el agua de las partes interesadas que podrían abordarse mediante la programación de extensión del agua y el medio ambiente. En la Fase 3, un taller de investigadores del Instituto Nexus de Arequipa utilizó los datos y su conocimiento de la capacidad institucional para identificar oportunidades para que el Instituto sirva como una organización fronteriza que facilite la comunicación y la colaboración entre científicos y partes interesadas para apoyar la extensión y el compromiso del agua en Arequipa. Los servicios de extensión de recursos hídricos proporcionados por esta organización fronteriza incluirían educación sobre la calidad del agua, la asignación del agua y el uso del agua, así como proporcionar recursos para mejorar la participación pública en la gestión del agua. Los servicios de extensión de agua podrían ser parte de una iniciativa de extensión transversal dentro del Instituto Nexus de Arequipa, que se encargaría de acumular datos de investigación y conectarlos con partes interesadas formales e informales. La naturaleza de capacitación dual de la organización fronteriza servirá tanto para aumentar la comprensión pública de las preocupaciones sobre el agua como la capacidad de los generadores de información en la universidad y las agencias para interactuar con el público. Este estudio es único en la combinación de ambos lados de la frontera (necesidades de la comunidad y perspectivas de los científicos) en el desarrollo de la visión de esta programación de extensión.

Abstract

Unsustainable human activities are rapidly depleting freshwater resources in many parts of the United States. Public policy surrounding water conservation is arguably one of the most essential strategies for targeting the preservation of water. Increased public engagement in environmental policy may bolster sustainable consumption of water resources if nuances in human behavior are targeted through communication messages. A quantitative research design using an online survey of the general United States public was used to explore if political affiliation and political ideology predicted how respondents prepared to vote on a policy that impacts water. The study revealed that respondents neither agreed nor disagreed on the level to which they would take specific actions to become prepared to vote on a policy that impacts water, indicating there is room for improvement. Results from a multiple linear regression revealed political affiliation and political ideology significantly predicted how respondents prepared to vote on a policy that impacts water; however, they accounted for a small amount of variance in the models. Future studies should identify additional predictors to determine how respondents prepare to vote on a policy that impacts water since political affiliation and political ideology were not a major influence on how respondents prepare to vote. Environmental communicators should focus their outreach efforts on increasing public preparedness to vote on polices that impact water.

Abstract

Across the United States, groundwater springs adjacent to roadways have been developed as unregulated drinking water sources. We attempted to address two basic questions: 1) why do people collect water at these springs; and 2) is the water safe to drink? We conducted a study during 2015-2019 of seven springs in central New York State that included a survey of 199 users and analysis of the water for common dissolved constituents and bacteria. The survey of water users showed that over 70% of respondents use the springs at least multiple times per month for drinking water and the majority collect more than five gallons per visit. More than 80% of the users live farther than three miles from the springs and a recurring reason for drinking the spring water is that the taste is better than the water available at their homes. However, all the springs at some point tested positive for total coliform bacteria and all but one tested positive at least once for fecal coliform bacteria, meaning that 86% of the springs at some point did not meet U.S. municipal drinking water standards. None of the measured dissolved constituents exceeded drinking water standards, but one spring that exhibited elevated nitrate is downslope from a small cattle operation which may be affecting nutrient values in the water. Most of these springs appear to be fed by shallow, unconfined aquifers that are susceptible to contamination from nearby land uses that are not readily apparent from the roadside collection locations.