When not a water activist . . .

 Andrew Dawson BA, MA, is completing a doctorate in sociology at Monash investigating the computational modelling of society. He is currently the recipient of a full-time research award at Monash, and has previously been awarded Commonwealth Government and La Trobe University post-graduate research awards. He has assisted in teaching philosophy and sociology at La Trobe University, Swinburne University, and Monash University. His major professional interest is in the philosophical foundations of sociological theory and the development of formal computational models of society, but he has a farming background and a continuing interest in the family property in Gippsland. He is married with two children.

 

Motivation . . . why bother?

My sociological background has made me critical of the idea that we can persuade people to use less water simply by providing information on low dam levels, and subsidies for mechanical water saving devices. This is akin to trying to change eating habits by providing people with information on heart disease and free lists of low fat recipes - it may help those who are already motivated but as most of us who have tried to lose weight know, information about the dangers of being over-weight and a list of low-fat recipes is not enough!

From a sociological view-point water use is part of our life-style, and life-style change is about more than information and personal will-power. Life-style is influenced greatly by the habits, values and beliefs that we share with our family and friends. It is easier to change if the whole family or wider group is committed to the change. Research into the effectiveness of public health campaigns has demonstrated that such campaigns are largely ineffectual unless they are tailored to the beliefs, values and customs of the community that they are addressing. My assumption is that patterns of water usage (in gardens, cooking, cleaning, hygiene, etc.) reflect socio-cultural norms, and hence, behaviour change in these areas should be approached on a socio-cultural basis. In a similar way, for example, in the wake of the HIV AIDS epidemic, behavioural change strategies in the "safe sex" campaign were designed to appeal to the socio-cultural norms of the gay community. Water authorities need to develop diverse behaviour change strategies to appeal to different groups within the community.

The bucket test - a simple way to measure water flow

On a more personal note, my farming background has influenced my approach to water usage. Most farmers are practical people, used to fixing things themselves, and always on the lookout for simple and cheap solutions to problems. In addition, some of the taken-for-granted amenities of city life are a luxury in the bush. In our farmhouse we relied upon gravity fed tank water and a non-pressurized hot and cold water system. Consequently my notion of "normal" water flows was far lower than those experienced in the city.         To what extent typical urban residents with no experience of low water flows would be prepared to accept my notions of "normal" I do not know, and the 3TD research proposal is designed to find some answers to this question (city friends who are trying the 3td approach generally seem to settle for higher flows than our 6 litres per minute – in the region of 12 litres per minute – but this has still resulted in water savings of up to 25%).

Family has played a big part in my water activism. Although I have no affiliation with any water organizations, water politics is in the blood as my father was an early environmentalist, whose passionate concern for the state of Gippsland’s rivers led to a long involvement with various Gippsland water organizations. He initiated the Gippsland Water Utilization Committee (GWUC) which for many years was the peak water body in Gippsland, and served on various other committees, including a stint as a member of the board of directors of Gippsland Water. His water activism began in the late sixties when state politicians, looking for an easy solution to Melbourne’s water shortages (our problems are not new) decided to dam the La Trobe River and pipe its water to Melbourne. It was an election year, and through vigorous political action, Gippslanders were able to change that policy. Today, La Trobe River water still flows into the Gippsland Lakes, Melbourne is still short of water and the state government is still looking for the “easy” water solution (hence the attraction of water desalination: this solution will be costly to Melbourne’s residents and to the environment in the long term – but from a cynical short term political perspective it is the least costly option to sell)!