CONSERVE Researchers at the University of Delaware, University of Pennsylvania and University of Florida are investigating consumers’ willingness to purchase food products grown with recycled water. Many consumers can’t get past the “ick” response or stigma — an irrational or exaggerated response to the risk of eating crops irrigated with treated wastewater. Resolving these concerns is key to the success of using recycled water for growing food, a necessary technology during the current world water crisis.
In a paper published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, the researchers asked consumers to make purchasing decisions based on their level of comfort with different products’ association with recycled water. They found that consumers were uncomfortable purchasing products like bottled water and fresh fruit, which were perceived to be more directly connected to recycled water. However, animal byproducts such as cheese produced by cows who drink recycled water resulted in much more favorable responses. They also found that passing recycled water through a natural barrier, such as an aquifer, removes the stigma consumers would otherwise attach to the water. This study highlights strategies that policymakers and industry stakeholders can use in their efforts to mitigate the stigma associated with recycled water. Read more about the study in the University of Delaware newsletter.
