 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Christina Zarcadoolas, PhD, Jessica Galante, and Jessica Speigel. Environmental Studies, Brown University, Box 1943, Providence, RI 02912, 401-863-7347, Christina_Zarcadoolas@Brown.Edu
In September 2001 approximately 1200 households in Pascoag, a small village in northern Rhode Island, found out that the village's public drinking water supply was contaminated with the gasoline additive methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE). For four months Pascoag residents were advised by health officials not to drink or cook with the water, and to sponge-bathe young children and use adequate ventilation when showering.
A study was conducted in the spring of 2002 with 100 Pascoag residents to explore their experiences with and perceptions of both the contamination event and the response of local and state officials to this event. Students in a course on Public Perceptions of the Environment at Brown University conducted the study. Findings were divided into 6 main topics: information sources, water use, concerns, perceptions of community, response of officials, and thoughts for the future. Analysis showed high levels of concern about both short and long-term health effects as well as dissatisfaction and lack of trust with officials at all levels.
This study was expanded in the summer of 2002 to interview involved officials. We found a clear disconnect between the concerns of residents and the actions of officials at the local and state level, particular with the Dept. of Health’s actions. The ultimate result of this project (2003) is the development of best practice guidelines for communicating water contamination issues with the public as well as recommendations for programmatic, regulatory and legislative changes to improve local and state response to such environmental health emergencies.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Environmental Health Hazards, Communication
Related Web page: envstudies.brown.edu/projects/pascoag/
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.