Water quality and the community: views, values and actions of ACT residents, 2015

A survey was undertaken in mid-2015 of adults living in the ACT and the surrounding local government areas (LGAs) of Cooma-Monaro, Palerang, Queanbeyan and Yass (the ‘study region’). The objective of the study was to generate data to inform the design of strategies to improve water quality and to maintain and enhance the social benefits of waterways. The study was funded by the ACT Healthy Waterways Project and supported by organisations including the ACT and Region Catchment Management Coordination Group, the ACT government, Cooma-Monaro Shire Council, Icon Water, National Capital Authority, Palerang Council, Queanbeyan City Council, South East Local Land Services and Yass Valley Council. A quantitative survey of adult residents of the study region was used to collect data as there was a need to quantify what proportion of the population held different views and engaged in different activities relevant to managing water quality. The study region comprised the ACT and the LGAs of Cooma-Monaro, Palerang, Queanbeyan and Yass. The survey questions were designed using an eight-step process. Ethics approval for the survey was granted by the University of Canberra’s Human Research Ethics Committee (protocol number HREC 15-94). The survey was conducted online from July 16th to August 14th 2015. An online survey was chosen as the ACT has the highest rate of internet access in Australia, with 91% of all ACT residents having access to the internet in 2012-13, and an online survey offered greater accessibility to participants compared to phone or mail surveys. Survey participants were recruited using (i) a prize draw, with nine prizes worth a total of $5000 offered, and (ii) mailing a flyer to every household in the study region, including people living in all kinds of dwellings. The survey was also promoted via emails, a media release, newsletters and social media.
In total, 4539 valid surveys were received from residents living within the study region. The survey responses were representative of gender, but undersampled those aged under 30 and oversampled those aged 55 to 74.