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Feature "Higher rates promote conservation, thus reducing the burden on infrastructure and lowering long-term operation and maintenance (O&M;) costs." users who exceed prescribed limits, or through marginal cost pricing, which simply sets the price of water at what it costs to supply it. In practice, "brand building" — the term used for communicating public sector value — can be accomplished in a variety of ways, largely depending on the size of the utility and available resources. Small utilities may be restricted to flyers in water bills and Internet/social media campaigns, while large utilities can reach out through radio spots, television commercials, and professionally designed mailers. In a survey conducted for a 2008 study on communicating the value of water, cosponsored by the Water Research Foundation and the U.S. EPA, water customers answered the question of "how their water utility should keep them informed" by citing water bills (58%) and water bill inserts (43%) most frequently. TV, radio, and newspaper ads were favored by 35%, 30%, and 24%, respectively, while refrigerator magnets snuck in at 37%. See Figure 1 on page 24 for more detail on the methods and responses represented in the study.6 The Importance Of Influence Both initiatives described above — asset management for formal decision-makers and community outreach for the general public — have a common goal: to amplify the values that resonate with that audience. In the case of elected boards and officials, it is imperative to make a strong business case (one of the tenets of asset management) that clearly presents current and future needs of the utility, a plan for capital improvements, all risk factors, and the anticipated return on investment — not just economic return, but also social and environmental returns. This audience legitimately requires such data to make informed decisions, but they will also need the solace of public support. For the public, it is a matter of rewiring and reconsideration, to stop seeing water as a boundless, cheap commodity and start seeing it as a necessity worth investing in. These are no small tasks, to be sure, but very important toward maintaining the level of service that has for too long been taken for granted. 1 American Water Works Association: "Buried No Longer: Confronting America's Water Infrastructure Challenge," 2012. 2 McGraw-Hill Construction: "Water Infrastructure Asset Management: Adopting Best Practices to Enable Better Investments," 2013. 3 USA TODAY, "USA TODAY analysis: Water costs gush higher," September 29, 2012. 4 New York Times, "In Praise of Tap Water," August 1, 2007. 5 Pennsylvania State University, Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure, 2008. 6 Water Research Foundation/U.S. EPA: "Communicating the Value of Water: An Introductory Guide for Water Utilities," 2008. Kevin Westerling has served as the editor of Water Online, the Internet's premier source for water and wastewater solutions, since 2008. Kevin's education includes a bachelor's degree in English Literature, a minor in Journalism, and certification as a Web Content Developer. He can be reached at editor@wateronline.com. SAVE WATER NOW dential Municipal • Commercial • Residential Complete Leak Surveys Simplify distribution pipeline repair & maintenance. Leak Correlation & Leak Locating Improve effectiveness of water conservation efforts to reduce unaccounted-for water loss. Acoustic Leak Detection Increase usage efficiency & reduce water losses for sustainable water management in older infrastructures. Advanced Leak Assessment Reports Water • Sewer • Pools • Water Features Line Detection • Concealed Water Leaks Established since 1974 866.570.LEAK Each office independently owned and operated. AmericanLeak Detection.com wateronline.com ■ Water Online The Magazine 25