Summer 2002

PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY FINDS STRONG SUPPORT FOR RIVER PROTECTION AND WILLINGNESS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS TO CONSERVE WATER

Canton, Mass. – October 9, 2002 – Local residents overwhelmingly support protecting local rivers and streams, and they are willing to conserve water in their homes to meet this goal. This was just one of the key findings from a multi-town public opinion survey conducted by the Neponset River Watershed Association (NepRWA) in conjunction with Applied Marketing Science, Inc. (AMS) and Bernett Research. Three hundred residents completed the public opinion telephone survey, which had a margin of error of +/-5.7 percent.

The survey of Neponset Watershed residents from Canton, Stoughton and Sharon indicated that 81 percent of respondents are "very" or "extremely" likely to conserve water in their homes to protect streams and rivers. Seventy-five percent of respondents believe that it is "very" or "extremely" necessary for town government to encourage residents' water conservation efforts. Finally, 82 percent of respondents think that it is "very" or "extremely" important to protect wildlife in and around the Neponset River Watershed.

The survey also measured respondents' willingness to undertake specific conservation practices to help protect local rivers and streams as well as preserve water supplies that feed town and private wells. The conservation practices and the corresponding percentages of respondents willing to undertake them include:

• Redirecting downspouts (59%)
• Replacing a toilet with a water-saving model (46%)
• Using a rain barrel to collect rainwater (37%)
• Planting shrubs and plants that require less watering (50%)

According to Ian Cooke, Executive Director of the Neponset River Watershed Association, "We were pleased to find that residents were so willing to help protect local water resources, particularly in light of an ongoing decline in water levels and its effect on fish, wildlife and the natural flow of rivers and streams. Through this cooperative effort with Applied Marketing Science and Bernett Research, we were able to determine the specific conservation measures that would be best received by residents, so that we can develop outreach and education programs that have the greatest chance of success."

As evidenced by the ongoing drought, conserving and protecting local water resources is critical in preventing long-term, serious consequences such as dry streambeds and reduced capacity of municipal drinking water wells.

According to Bob Klein, President of Applied Marketing Science, who worked closely with NepRWA to develop the survey, "Market research is so important to the decision-making process in the corporate world that it makes sense to apply it to the non-profit sector. By undertaking research on these critical issues, NepRWA now has solid evidence of residents' interest in local water resources, and the data to back up their programs and initiatives."

The Neponset River Watershed Association, based in Canton, Mass., is a non-profit organization established to protect and restore the natural resources of the Neponset River Watershed for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Applied Marketing Science, based in Waltham, Mass., is a leading-edge market research and consulting firm specializing in Voice of the Customer (VOC) studies. Bernett Research, based in Boston, Mass., is a market research and data collection firm.