Abstract |
The perceptions, attitudes, orientations, and interaction patterns of water user publics are significant elements in local water systems. In an effort to locate at least one firm parameter of water systems, this research examines the attitudes, interaction, and other behavior of randomized samples of users of five local water agencies. Private and public agencies and rural and urban areas are included in the samples. The findings indicate that traditional, common sense classifications, such as private-public dichotomies or socio-economic classifications, have far less effect on public attitudes toward water agencies than do volume, type, and content of communication. Systematic differences, however, are present between urban and rural users. The data further indicate considerable, but not complete, independence of water systems from more general political systems. (Author) |