INDIAN WELLS, Calif., Nov. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today presented its Huell Howser Excellence in Communication Award to Kings River Conservation District (KRCD) for its creative and impactful Bottled Water Delivery Program campaign to improve the quality of life for rural residents with nitrate contamination above safe drinking water standards.
KRCD utilized water quality and demographic data to identify nitrate-impacted residents and employed widespread outreach through direct mailers, emails, canvassing, workshops, webinars, social and traditional media channels and paid digital communications.
To build trust with residents, KRCD focused on “meeting folks where they are” by accessing community events, venues and organizations. In addition, communication materials were translated into Spanish, Hmong and Punjabi where appropriate. The campaign saw an average 12% growth rate in an eligibility survey for the free bottled water delivery program and more than 230 residents qualified for free safe drinking water delivery.
The award was presented during the 2022 ACWA Fall Conference & Exhibition in Indian Wells, where water professionals are gathering through Thursday for programs and panel discussions on California’s critical water issues. KRCD was among five finalists for the award that honors exceptional communications and outreach programs.
“It’s critical that water districts continue to educate and engage their customers on significant issues that affect their water quality, such as nitrate contamination,” said ACWA President Pamela Tobin. “The comprehensive outreach done for this campaign shows that creative and extensive communication can prove successful in reaching rural communities and helping them access safe drinking water.”
Other finalists for this year’s award were:
- Las Virgenes Municipal Water District for its Drought Emergency Strategic Messaging campaign to achieve support from customers in reducing water use to ensure a 35% reduction compared to 2020.
- Rancho California Water District for its “Journey of Water” video series to educate its customers about where their water comes from and garner support for infrastructure projects, rate changes and more.
- Turlock Irrigation District (TID) for its Water and Power Podcast that provides customer-owners and the community insight into TID’s operations and happenings.
- Valley Water for its Purified Water and Conservation Media Campaign to encourage County residents and businesses to reduce water use by 15% compared to 2019.
ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose more than 460 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com
Contact: Heather Engel, Director of Communications | (916) 669-2387
