Public views on drought mitigation : evidence from the comments sections of online news articles

Abstract

During the spring of 2012 much of the south-east of England was under water use restrictions, as a result of two consecutive dry winters. The drought highlighted the region’s vulnerability to this natural hazard and emphasized the issues associated with water shortages and the need for drought mitigation measures. This research has sought to examine the public responses to interventions that help alleviate drought, and the drivers that influence those responses. Historically, public responses to such interventions have been complex, and acceptance has not been guaranteed. Drought events are likely to become more frequent in the future, therefore, understanding how and why the public responds to interventions is increasingly important. Such insights can help governments and other authorities in planning for future drought events. The study utilised qualitative content analysis of online news articles and their associated comments (opinions and perspectives) from readers. This method was selected to explore the meanings underlying the readers’ comments, thus enabling a better understanding of reader’s perspectives and how they viewed their social world. The key findings indicate that at this point in time, the reader’s emphasised supply side interventions over water conservation measures. Still, readers were not unwilling to conserve water; many were actively reducing their water consumption by engaging in water saving behaviours and installing water saving equipment. The findings indicate that lack of trust in the water companies was a major influence on responses to the drought and to potential interventions for easing the drought such as the hosepipe ban. Equally, the data showed that some readers lacked knowledge and understanding around what interventions entailed, for instance desalination. This study highlights the need for clear communications between authorities and the public. The water companies need to rebuild relationships and regain public trust by providing transparent, timely communications about their role and function as water suppliers, together with the provision of impartial, factual information on the variety of drought interventions available, so the public can make informed choices.