AWWA SOURCES55638

Many utilities in the nation face the challenge of balancing long-term conservation efforts with short-term curtailment needs. The Seattle area was faced with a similar challenge when the recently launched long-term program, 1% Water Conservation, suddenly found itself competing with the worst drought in recent years. The drought forced the need for short-term water reduction measures, less than a year after the long- term program was launched. This paper explores the different strategies employed to communicate long term conservation and crisis communication for curtailment during a drought. The challenges of differentiating long-term and short-term conservation are discussed and the paper offers insights into ways to prevent message confusion between two programs. It describes ways for utilities to win public trust and meet short-term goals while keeping the long-term efforts on course.