Advisory Panel on Emerging Contaminants September 27, 2012 Outreach and Education Subcommittee Progress Report 2
Highlights Dr. Kelly Reynolds – Associate Professor UA College of Public Health Naegleria fowleri in the News (GettyImages ) Feeding and attachment structures
Topics Deadly brain amoeba infects US tap water for the first time (Maggie Fox NBC News) Hexavalent Chromium
Audiences/Tactics Most FAQs from Customers: What is the hardness of my water? What is the fluoride level in my water? Why is my drinking water cloudy or milky? Why does my skin itch after I take a shower? Why does my water smell like rotten eggs? Customers are not asking about emerging contaminants. They are asking about taste, odor, cloudiness, chlorine, hardness & fluoride.
Tactics Create two sets of FAQs – Water quality aesthetics – Emerging contaminants Compile uniform answers to address public concerns Create all material in English & Spanish Create “information nuggets” that are multiple audience friendly from white paper and list of emerging microbes
Success Developed a 12 question survey to evaluate the success of a communications program. Survey reviewed and approved by subcommittee Survey sent out to utilities the last week of August
Consensus Recommend focusing on Naegleria fowleri as the emerging microbial contaminant in AZ Recommend focusing on hexavalent chromium as the emerging chemical contaminant in AZ