Trust: The Ultimate Ask When It Comes to Water

Abstract

Key Takeaways The need for water infrastructure investments is complicated by factors such as regulatory pressures, increased costs, and shifted hydrologic assumptions in a time of reduced public confidence. Avoiding conversations about the full cost of water services allows misinformation to fill the gap; water leaders need instead to explain hard truths with clarity and humility. Public trust must be earned, and acceptance of potable reuse reflects a community's trust in the institutions that promote the technology as safe.