Research Questions

Our project has four main goals:

1. Improve Water Management: Use feedback from water utility customers to make communication around water management more resilient.
2. Engage Communities: Work closely with Spanish-speaking youth and adults in El Paso, and adults in Comanche Trail, to understand cultural factors that can help tailor water utility messages.
3. Craft Effective Messages: Develop and test theory-informed, culturally appropriate messages that encourage people to use water wisely.
4. Strengthen Communication: Enhance communication strategies to ensure utilities can effectively reach their users during emergencies.

Research Method

Using a user-centered design approach, we are working closely with water utilities that serve mainly Spanish-speaking communities to understand their concerns during disasters and how they currently communicate with the public. Our goal is to create better communication strategies that consider cultural differences.

To do this, we are engaging with local communities to learn what cultural factors are important for effective messaging. Because message content matters, we are determining the best theory-informed message strategies (cast in culturally appropriate phrasing) utilities can use to encourage cooperative end-user water-related behavior. We are also developing and testing messages that encourage people to use water wisely, using language that resonates with them.

We will analyze the data to see how well our messages can improve both the water system’s technical performance and people’s attitudes and behaviors.

Presentations