Meghan McCarroll is a community-engaged scholar, a PhD Candidate at the University of Denver, and a Teaching Instructor at the ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ. Her current research investigates how community water literacy can build resilience and sustainability within water management, particularly in drought-prone regions. She currently works with communities in Aurora, Colorado, and Cape Town, South Africa, and has worked with communities in eastern Australia in the past.Ìý
Meghan received a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ, and a master’s degree in Integrated Water Management from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Her professional experience includes collecting abandoned mine discharge across the Rocky Mountains, monitoring the health of the Charles River in Boston, operating a recycled water treatment plant for Denver Water, and providing water conservation education and outreach for Aurora Water. She believes in centering natural resource management around community voices and experiences by partnering with local organizations and maximizing genuine community engagement. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the Colorado mountains with her husband, and taking on DIY projects in her home and water-wise garden.
Abstract
Impacts of innovative water security solutions on water literacy: A case-study from Aurora, Colorado
Water literacy, or the culmination of water-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, is a relatively new field of study with growing importance for water security, water equity, and sustainability. Using a holistic water literacy framework, we developed a survey to evaluate water literacy in Aurora, Colorado. ÌýAurora is the third largest city and has the most diverse ethnic and racial population in the state. The 2002 drought sparked a wake-up for Aurora Water as reservoir capacity dropped to as low as 25%. ÌýIn the past two decades, Aurora Water has worked aggressively to increase water security through development of a city-level Water Management Plan, the Prairie Waters recharge and reuse program, permanent water-use restrictions, and extensive outreach and education efforts. Aurora was also the first state municipality to prohibit non-functional turf in new developments. The water literacy survey results suggest that within the context of these innovative and progressive top-down actions, citizens in Aurora exhibit both helpful strengths and notable gaps in their knowledge of the local water system. ÌýWe conclude with suggestions to enhance water literacy and community engagement within water management.