Small Community Wastewater Alternatives Section VIII Classroom Exercises

Sample Exercises 1.Steering Committee 2.Roles and Responsibilities 3.Overcoming Obstacles 4.Data Collection 5.Value Creation (Social Marketing) 6.Moving to Action (Low hanging fruit) Courtesy of Pace U. Land Use Training

Identifying Stakeholders Stakeholders: parties with an interest in the outcome of a decision who have the ability to affect the implementation of a decision Courtesy of Pace U. Land Use Training

Types of Stakeholders Decision-makers –Primary: have ultimate decision-making authority –Secondary: have authority to make partial decisions Citizens –Primary: can challenge decisions individually –Secondary: can form coalitions to mount a significant challenge Advisors - People who have information, but are not stakeholders Courtesy of Pace U. Land Use Training

Identifying Stakeholders Steering Committee Exercise 1: Who to invite and why? Courtesy of Pace U. Land Use Training

Steering Committee Roles and Responsibilities Exercise 2: Determining who does what Courtesy of Pace U. Land Use Training

Roles and Responsibilities Exercise 2 Determining who does what and keeping them at it is a challenge. Have a coordinator as soon as possible. Elicit strengths, interests, and available time through questions or surveys. Start small, don’t overwhelm folks. At each step try to clearly delineate tasks and activities. Courtesy of Pace U. Land Use Training

Facilitating Win-Win Overcoming Obstacles Exercise 3: Gaining voluntary cooperation Courtesy of Pace U. Land Use Training

Wastewater Inventory Data Collection Exercise 4: Develop additional survey questions to characterize non-residential onsite and cluster systems. Group Brainstorming Exercise See RCAP Solutions WW Survey handout Courtesy of Pace U. Land Use Training

Wastewater Inventory Data Collection Exercise 4: –Location –Flow –Unusual Strength? –System type –System condition (how determined?) –Other Courtesy of Pace U. Land Use Training

Social Marketing Drinking water systems need to market their product to establish value Bottled water gaining in sales largely due to marketing as “pristine” or better-quality than municipal or private supplies Establishing value is about documenting and protecting high quality water supplies All activities that protect against contamination should be advertised and promoted

Social Marketing Value Creation Exercise 5 How to generate more public faith in, and consumption of, municipal water?

Moving to Action Short-term Activities Exercise 6 What kinds of things can be accomplished with little to no money? (Low-hanging fruit)

Low-Cost Activities Public/homeowner education Promote non-toxic substitutes Education of boards, planning and zoning, building inspectors, CEO’s Voluntary activities to work towards a management district or entity Coordinate with health dept. inspections Cost-share programs, e.g. replace septic systems Related projects: watershed planning; flood or drought protection planning