Back in 2000, when Stormwater magazine was first
published, there were a lot of misconceptions about nonpoint-source pollution.
It would be nearly three years until NPDES Phase II took effect, but cities were
already gearing up to meet its requirements—including one for public education
and outreach. I remember surveys at the time showing that only a small minority
of people understood where stormwater runoff goes or that water flowing into a
storm drain isn’t going to be treated. It seemed that those responsible for
teaching the public about stormwater had their work cut out for them.
A recent survey
by the Chesapeake Bay Trust
reveals that things might not have changed quite as fast as we’d hoped. Nearly
three-quarters of Maryland residents surveyed last November thought they didn’t
live in a watershed. That’s comparable to a 2004 survey in California, in which
68% of respondents didn’t know what a watershed was and fewer than 28%, when
asked whether they lived in one, said yes.
The Maryland survey also showed
that most residents—84%—thought industrial discharge is a much greater source of
pollution to the Chesapeake Bay than residential runoff and other nonpoint
sources, which isn’t the case.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust sponsored
the survey, in part, to highlight the need for environmental education, since it
funds many education-related projects, as well as restoration work. But there
are a few glimmers of hope. A 2006 article
reported on North Carolina’s sophisticated survey methods and the state’s
use of social marketing to get the message out. The article also summarized
results from other state’s surveys.
How is public awareness in your
city—and your watershed? Do you think general awareness of water-quality
problems and how to fix them has improved over the last several years? What have
been the most effective education methods in your area?