Public Awareness Improvement Methods for Execution and Operation of Internal and External Sewage Collection Network (Case Study: Mashhad-2015)

Document Type : review paper

Authors

• narges khajeh roshanaee ¹
• Seid Mohamadreza Navali Hosaini ²

¹ ferdosi univercity of mashhad

² khajeh nasir tusi

10.22067/jwsd.v3i2.52363

Abstract

Considering that the sewage collection network project started in Mashhad a couple of years ago, due to its prolongation the public opinion is negative and dissatisfied. Thus, it was vital that the citizens of Mashhad get acquainted with the construction process and its difficulties, as well as being informed of the privileges of having a comprehensive network which will result in discontents reduction and further collaboration of citizens for the rest of the project. In this respect, the main target of the current study is to identify the examples of successful public awareness cases and defining methods to increase public awareness regarding the benefits of a sewage collection network. Categorizing the methods in this study is based on professional criterion aiming to improve the defined methods. In the current study, three stages were considered which define the awareness improvement. Stage one was to use existing literature such as books, articles, etc. to familiarize the researcher with common awareness methods across the world. In this stage, initially 19 methods were raised which during the meetings with the Mashhad ABFA public relations experts were reduced to 9 methods. Stage two was to interview the Mashhad ABFA experts in construction and operation departments and filling questionnaires in order to define the public awareness contents. The results of these interviews categorized the public awareness contents into three categories of: reportorial contents, awareness contents to reduce construction and operation difficulties, and Contents regarding the benefits of sewage collection network and the disadvantages when it is lacking. Stage three was to interview the Mashhad ABFA experts to prioritize the 9 methods of public awareness. The aforementioned methods were prioritized, using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method, and the Expert Choice software using four criterion (cost, effectiveness, impact time, easiness). The results showed that face-to-face methods, especially question-answer, must be put in higher priorities. Visits by students of the equipment and treatment facilities were the number one priority. Training a group of society such as intellectual leaders, in order to inform other people, were considered as the second priority. Finally, suggestions were made to make this study practical.

Keywords

• Sewer network
• improvement of public awareness
• awareness Themes
• Prioritization Methods

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