Water utilities are required to inform customers about the
quality of their water and whether any violations in water
quality standards have occurred. Specifically, utilities are
required to publish Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs.)
Six surveys were conducted of New Jersey water utility
customers to assess whether these reports are effective in
communicating information about water quality. The surveys
provide the first evidence on how customers react to the material
contained in CCRs. Johnson reviewed the survey results and
found that some detailed information - in particular, ranges of
detected contaminant levels - is difficult for customers to
interpret. Still, as difficult as the information may be to understand,
most people find the CCRs informative. The author also
learned that although customers expect utility companies to
communicate with them, customers do not feel obligated to
provide feedback. The surveys also showed that the aesthetic
qualities of the water are critical to a customer's assessment of
water quality. Additionally, whether because of preexisting
trust or distrust, CCRs are unlikely to shift customer views of
their utility. Lastly, survey respondents made several recommendations
on how the information contained in the CCRs
could be improved. Includes 25 references, tables.
| Edition : | Vol. 95 - No. 8 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 920 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 10 |
| Published : | 08/01/2003 |
