Role of citizens in formulating water quality policies

Working with the population of the city does not just involve campaigns -- it is a long-term, on-going process and it is a dialogue. It is not enough simply to tell people what to do. You have to come back all the time and show the results. It is a long process of learning and changing attitudes. The campaigns directed towards households and other consumer groups have been successful so far. Stockholm Water also intends to allocate considerable further resources to this type of activity. A changed attitude to environmental questions at consumer level is essential for the future work on water improvement. Finally, water and waste treatment for clean and healthy water cost a lot of money. One of the most important reasons for getting the inhabitants of the city involved in the work is to make them understand that a good environment requires financial sacrifices. People are prepared to make these sacrifices, if they feel the specified goal to be sufficiently meaningful and important. When we have increased charges in Stockholm, we have been careful to give an account of what the money is to be used for and how it will affect our drinking water, our health, our archipelago and the opportunities for swimming and fishing. Since Stockholm Water has started providing this information, complaints about increased charges have almost completely ceased. We regard that as a further measure of success for our work with the citizens of Stockholm. We are now working together with the water authorities in Riga to try out our ideas on water quality policies in a rather different environment.