Public perceptions of potable water reuse, regional growth, and water resources management in the Reno-Sparks area of northern Nevada, USA

Abstract

The Reno-Sparks area of northern Nevada is one of many communities across the globe where water managers are considering the prospect of potable water reuse. Planned potable reuse is the intentional use of highly treated reclaimed to expand local drinking water supplies. Although water managers and city planners increasingly encourage water recycling, potable water reuse remains an uncommon approach to water management that can face stiff opposition from the local public. This article explores the importance of local identity in shaping public perceptions of potable reuse through a case study of the Reno-Sparks area of northern Nevada. To address this, we conducted a community survey of Reno-Sparks area residents in the spring of 2018 to identify the water issues that mattered most to them and assess willingness to drink reclaimed water. Our mixed-methods analysis explored the degree to which self-identification as an urban, suburban, or rural resident influenced support for potable water reuse and evaluated and compared the stated concerns of the respondents. The results indicate residents throughout the region share concerns about future water supplies, including the impact of population growth on future water availability, yet the self-identified suburban residents were significantly more accepting of potable water reuse when compared to their urban or rural counterparts. In conclusion, we suggest that different conceptions of local identity impact public acceptance of potable reuse in the Reno-Sparks area and, furthermore, these place-based identities may have implications for water management in other communities in the western United States and beyond.

Keywords

• Community survey
• Future water supply
• Mixed-methods
• Reclaimed water
• Water issues
• Water supply