Waste water reuse in France – social perception of an unfamiliar practice

Abstract

This article presents the results of a local survey conducted in a French wine-growing region where the public authorities were considering irrigating fields and green spaces with treated wastewater. Interviews were conducted face-to-face with 845 potential consumers close to their purchasing place. The majority were in favour of such a project and willing to use recreation areas and purchase local farm products irrigated with treated wastewater. However, we demonstrated the paucity of lay knowledge about treated wastewater. Simple information flyers have a significant effect on attitudes and intended behaviours. Nevertheless 20% of informed respondents said they would no longer buy such irrigated products. Given the lack of confidence in the public authorities' guarantee of food quality, they will be unlikely to change their minds. These unacceptable results to farmers may interest public authorities promoting these projects, still rare in France, in response to the increase in droughts. HIGHLIGHTS WWR an unfamiliar practice in France with no anchored social representation.; Information influences attitudes towards WWR of undecided people.; Attitudes and intended behaviours driven by disgust, environmental sensitivity, risk perception, and type of use.; Working women more reluctant than men to WWR; farmers rejecting WWR.; By communicating, farmers strengthen the social acceptability of their project but with a loss of customers.;

Keywords

• consumer attitude
• french local survey
• information effect
• intended behaviour
• social representation
• wastewater reuse