Taking It for the Team: How Communication and Voting Increases Social Acceptance of Recycled Water
Abstract Recycled water offers significant societal benefits, yet public acceptance remains a critical barrier to its use. In this study, we evaluate how communication and group voting rules influence study participants' acceptance of recycled water. Using a framed economic field experiment wit...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Water Resources Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR038803 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Recycled water offers significant societal benefits, yet public acceptance remains a critical barrier to its use. In this study, we evaluate how communication and group voting rules influence study participants' acceptance of recycled water. Using a framed economic field experiment with 211 adults from the mid‐Atlantic region of the United States, we measured the participants' willingness to accept (WTA) compensation to drink potable recycled sewer water and spring water in private and group settings. We conducted non‐parametric statistical tests to measure the effectiveness of communication treatments in group settings and used a random effects Tobit regression to analyze the determinants of participants' WTA compensation to drink recycled water and spring water. Despite both water types being physically safe, participants demanded significantly less compensation to consume recycled water in a group setting, demonstrating a readiness to prioritize collective welfare over personal preferences. This finding highlights a willingness to “take it for the team” when group decision‐making is involved. Our analysis also shows that communication within a group is effective at lowering the amount of compensation participants require to drink recycled water. Unlike most existing research, which focuses solely on private preferences for recycled water, our study provides insights into the impacts of group decision‐making processes, offering policy‐relevant implications for increasing recycled water adoption. |
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| ISSN: | 0043-1397 1944-7973 |