Generally, the public has a strong reaction to the concept of wastewater reuse. Two differentsurveys were conducted to assess the public's perception of wastewater reuse. The purpose ofthe first survey was to define the public's estimation of risk associated with wastewater reuse.Subjects were asked to evaluate wastewater reuse and nine other risks both within and outside ofthe drinking water domain.The results of the first survey show that wastewater reuse was considered a novel risk, subject toa high degree of uncertainty. Subject's ratings of their "dread" of wastewater reuse exceededeven the "dread" rating elicited by nuclear power, a risk well known to generate extreme publicreactions. Previous researchers have cited this "dread" reaction as being an importantdeterminant of the public's perception of the acceptability of technological risk. However, thisdoes not appear to be the case with wastewater reuse. Despite the high "dread" rating a majorityof subjects rated the risk of wastewater reuse as being "acceptable".The second survey was a short questionnaire designed to assess the public's perception ofwastewater reuse in comparison to other water sources and the associated costs. Subjects wereasked whether they favored or opposed wastewater recycling if it could increase water supplywithout increasing water rates. The results of the second survey show that the public generallyfavored recycling wastewater as an alternative to higher priced water sources.The public has mixed reactions to wastewater reuse. On the one hand, reuse generates extremelyunfavorable emotional reactions. However, a majority of subjects did not let their overallassessment of the risk be greatly influenced by these emotional considerations. In fact, bothsurveys indicate the public appears to have confidence in the ability of water treatment processesto safely reclaim wastewater for direct reuse.The public remains uneasy with direct reuse of wastewater and this will likely pose a substantialbarrier to the more widespread reuse of wastewater. However, a majority of the subjects viewthe practice as "acceptable", though unappealing, indicating that there may be circumstancesunder which they would support the reuse of wastewater for drinking water. Includes 10 references, table, figures.
