CONSUMER OUTREACH RESOURCES

• How EPA Researchers Are Using Social Science To Study Water Quality

  Coasts and estuaries are highly valued and provide important resources for communities. These environments provide ecosystem services including food, recreational space, protection from storms, and more. In New England, coastal water quality is particularly important for local communities and economies, with beaches and aquatic environments drawing in millions of visitors each year.

• TAP Dance: Lessons From 6 Years Of Income-Based Water Assistance In Philadelphia

  Six years ago, to great fanfare, Philadelphia Water launched a new approach to bill assistance for low-income water and sewer customers: the Tiered Assistance Program (TAP). Casually dubbed "income-based rates," TAP held out the promise of achieving true "affordability" by whatever standard policymakers set. Philadelphia TAP has garnered widespread media attention and has received tacit endorsements from some academic researchers and institutions. With more than five full years in the rear-view mirror, it's time to ask: how well has Philadelphia TAP worked?

• As Americans Focus On Water Quality, These States Boast The Best

  To determine which states have the best tap water, J.D. Power analyzed feedback from customers of water utilities regarding their experiences in six factors: quality and reliability; price; conservation; billing and payment; communications; and customer service.
• When Almost Perfect Isn’t Good Enough

  Despite statistically astounding performance, water and wastewater utilities have almost no room for error due to the nature of public perception and the importance of their work.

• EPA Researchers Showcase Research Capabilities To Local And National Media

  EPA researcher recently hosted members of local and national media on a tour of our unique research complex located in Cincinnati, OH, where they discussed several topics including PFAS in drinking water, lead service lines, and legionella in premise plumbing.

• World Water Day 2023: How The Water Industry Can “Accelerate Change”

  Globally, we are on a tight schedule to get our planet moving in the right direction regarding the climate crisis. While the COP (Conference of the Parties) meetings are working to collaborate and design a plan to contain the threats at hand, we still lack major negotiating deadlines. With World Water Day 2023 coming up on March 22 with the theme of “Accelerating Change”, the day urges individuals to recognize how they consume and manage water in their lives and make necessary changes to help utilize it better.

• Two Water Movies: The Harmful And The Hopeful

  Adam Tank and I just had Travis Loop as a guest on our podcast Water We Talking About, and he gave us an update on his initiative to do in-depth reporting on the PFAS issue. And our next guest is Aoife Kelleher, associate producer and lead researcher for the water documentary Brave Blue World. So I thought it would be a good time to repost my review on two very different water movies, Dark Waters and Brave Blue World.

• Customer Engagement And Water Infrastructure Projects: How To Achieve Success

  Communication between a utility and its customers has historically been sparse and negative — complaints on one side, bills and notices on the other — but healthy communication is now encouraged as a key aspect of successful infrastructure development.
• Digital Storytelling Can Be A Powerful Tool For Water Researchers

  Storytelling and science may, at first glance, seem like strange bedfellows. Scientists usually share their research through academic journals and books or at academic conferences. But storytelling is a powerful way to share scientific research with non-expert audiences. Today, stories can be built digitally: photos, videos and audio clips create visually, emotionally effective stories that are relatable and easily understood.
• Who Sees What You Flush? Wastewater Surveillance For Public Health Is On The Rise, But A New Survey Reveals Many U.S. Adults Are Still Unaware

  Flush and forget? Not if you have a toilet that flushes to one of over 3,000 sites around the world where researchers are using wastewater to track SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. But what do members of the public actually know about wastewater surveillance? And what do they think about researchers tracking what they send down the drain at their home?