TY - JOUR
T1 - Student support and perceptions of urine source separation in a university community
AU - Ishii, Stephanie K.L.
AU - Boyer, Treavor H.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors extend their gratitude to several individuals from the following groups at the University of Florida (UF) and in the city of Gainesville, FL for their support: Gainesville Regional Utilities, UF Physical Plant Department, UF Water Reclamation Facility, UF Survey Research Center, and UF Department of Housing and Residence Education. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-0802270 , NSF CAREER Grant No. CBET-1150790 , and the American Water Works Association Larson Aquatic Research Support Scholarship for doctoral students (2011, 2013). This paper was improved by the thoughtful and thorough comments of two anonymous reviewers.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2016/9/1
Y1 - 2016/9/1
N2 - Urine source separation, i.e., the collection and treatment of human urine as a separate waste stream, has the potential to improve many aspects of water resource management and wastewater treatment. However, social considerations must be taken into consideration for successful implementation of this alternative wastewater system. This work evaluated the perceptions of urine source separation held by students living on-campus at a major university in the Southeastern region of the United States. Perceptions were evaluated in the context of the Theory of Planned Behavior. The survey population represents one group within a community type (universities) that is expected to be an excellent testbed for urine source separation. Overall, respondents reported high levels of support for urine source separation after watching a video on expected benefits and risks, e.g., 84% indicated that they would vote in favor of urine source separation in residence halls. Support was less apparent when measured by willingness to pay, as 33% of respondents were unwilling to pay for the implementation of urine source separation and 40% were only willing to pay $1 to $10 per semester. Water conservation was largely identified as the most important benefit of urine source separation and there was little concern reported about the use of urine-based fertilizers. Statistical analyses showed that one's environmental attitude, environmental behavior, perceptions of support within the university community, and belief that student opinions have an impact on university decision makers were significantly correlated with one's support for urine source separation. This work helps identify community characteristics that lend themselves to acceptance of urine source separation, such as those related to environmental attitudes/behaviors and perceptions of behavioral control and subjective norm. Critical aspects of these alternative wastewater systems that require attention in order to foster public acceptance after implementation are also highlighted, such as convenient and aesthetically pleasing methods for waterless toilet paper disposal.
AB - Urine source separation, i.e., the collection and treatment of human urine as a separate waste stream, has the potential to improve many aspects of water resource management and wastewater treatment. However, social considerations must be taken into consideration for successful implementation of this alternative wastewater system. This work evaluated the perceptions of urine source separation held by students living on-campus at a major university in the Southeastern region of the United States. Perceptions were evaluated in the context of the Theory of Planned Behavior. The survey population represents one group within a community type (universities) that is expected to be an excellent testbed for urine source separation. Overall, respondents reported high levels of support for urine source separation after watching a video on expected benefits and risks, e.g., 84% indicated that they would vote in favor of urine source separation in residence halls. Support was less apparent when measured by willingness to pay, as 33% of respondents were unwilling to pay for the implementation of urine source separation and 40% were only willing to pay $1 to $10 per semester. Water conservation was largely identified as the most important benefit of urine source separation and there was little concern reported about the use of urine-based fertilizers. Statistical analyses showed that one's environmental attitude, environmental behavior, perceptions of support within the university community, and belief that student opinions have an impact on university decision makers were significantly correlated with one's support for urine source separation. This work helps identify community characteristics that lend themselves to acceptance of urine source separation, such as those related to environmental attitudes/behaviors and perceptions of behavioral control and subjective norm. Critical aspects of these alternative wastewater systems that require attention in order to foster public acceptance after implementation are also highlighted, such as convenient and aesthetically pleasing methods for waterless toilet paper disposal.
KW - Public acceptance
KW - Public perception
KW - Survey
KW - Theory of planned behavior
KW - Urine source separation
KW - Wastewater treatment
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U2 - 10.1016/j.watres.2016.05.004
DO - 10.1016/j.watres.2016.05.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 27183210
AN - SCOPUS:84966461485
VL - 100
SP - 146
EP - 156
JO - Water Research
JF - Water Research
SN - 0043-1354
ER -