Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2003PA13B

Water Conservation Training and Public Education

Institute: Pennsylvania
Year Established: 2003 Start Date: 2003-03-01 End Date: 2004-02-29
Total Federal Funds: $13,400 Total Non-Federal Funds: $42,504

Principal Investigators: William Sharpe, Bryan Swistock

Project Summary: Serious droughts and increasing competition for water have exacerbated water use disputes in Pennsylvania in recent years. Recently passed water use legislation in the state has focused on water conservation as an important tool for future management of the states water supplies. There is presently little specific information or education available to the public on comprehensive, long-term water conservation measures. The Cooperative Extension system provides an attractive vehicle to disseminate water conservation education throughout Pennsylvania. This project would increase public knowledge of water conservation and water use issues through education programs delivered by trained Cooperative Extension Agents with water conservation publications and displays. A two-day in-service program related to water conservation education would be delivered to approximately 25 Extension agents from Pennsylvania. The program will include presentations and field trips on drought, water use, home water conservation, youth water conservation education, landscape water conservation, water re-use, agricultural water management, river basin water management, and western water conservation experiences. Each attendee will receive a binder with written background materials and a CD with PowerPoint presentations. A home water conservation publication and a water conservation tabletop display will be created to support public programs presented by the agents. A web-based evaluation tool will be used to determine the number of citizens that participated in educational programs delivered by agents and the number that initiate water conservation practices.