Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found athttp://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=tjem20

Download by: [14.2.123.188] Date: 25 May 2016, At: 05:21

Australasian Journal of Environmental Management

ISSN: 1448-6563 (Print) 2159-5356 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tjem20

Sustainable urban water management throughthe lens of community – a photostory exercise inmetropolitan Adelaide

Zhifang Wu, Ganesh Keremane & Jennifer McKay

To cite this article: Zhifang Wu, Ganesh Keremane & Jennifer McKay (2016): Sustainableurban water management through the lens of community – a photostory exercisein metropolitan Adelaide, Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, DOI:10.1080/14486563.2015.1084488

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2015.1084488

Published online: 24 May 2016.

Submit your article to this journal

View related articles

View Crossmark data

Sustainable urban water management through the lens ofcommunity – a photostory exercise in metropolitan AdelaideZhifang Wu, Ganesh Keremane and Jennifer McKay

Comparative Centre for Water Policies and Laws, School of Law, University of South Australia, Adelaide,Australia

ABSTRACTThis article reports the process and results of a study in whichcommunity was engaged to examine emotional resonance aroundthe concept of urban water. The study was an importantcomponent of a legal and governance study, which aimed toidentify the governance challenges and potential solutions tosupport the implementation of an integrated urban watermanagement strategy in metropolitan Adelaide. The team usedphotostory method for this purpose, which included participantstaking photos and interpreting their meanings through a processof reflection. The dialogue around the photos, the diaries, and thegroup discussions demonstrates how this method can provide agreater depth of understanding of how water saving andsustainable water management are rationalised and how theybecome shared experiences. The article concludes by discussingsome of the limitations of the method and providing suggestionsfor using this method to engage a community in research.

KEYWORDSIntegrated urban watermanagement; waterconservation; new waters;community engagement;photo diaries

Introduction

To date, most state governments in Australia have embarked on implementing IntegratedUrban Water Management (IUWM) by having a portfolio of water supply sources thatinclude climate-independent and non-traditional water resources, such as desalinatedwater, recycled water, rainwater collection, and stormwater reuse. However, effectiveimplementation of an integrated approach depends on solutions beyond the merely tech-nological; it also depends largely on the social and institutional aspects of water manage-ment (Brown & Farrelly 2009; Brown et al. 2006; McKay 2005). While there are theories ofinstitutional change (North 1971; Weyland 2006) that may address some aspects of theseissues, the challenge is more fundamental and goes to the roots of our democratic systemand the values of the community in relation to water supply institutions. This articlefocuses on the latter.

In line with this diagnosis, a legal and governance study was conducted to identify thegovernance challenges and potential solutions for supporting the implementation ofIUWM in metropolitan Adelaide. Overall, the project explored the management issuesrelated to diversification of the supply portfolio in metropolitan Adelaide from an

© 2016 Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand Inc.

CONTACT Zhifang Wu zhifang.wu@unisa.edu.au

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, 2016http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2015.1084488

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

institutional perspective. The project team worked with key stakeholders to identify anumber of solutions, and used a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methodsto gather the required data. An important component of this study was engaging the com-munity in the research, particularly to examine emotional resonance around the conceptof urban water. By listening to, and understanding the meaning of, community percep-tions, Walton and Rivers (2011, p. 157) suggested that greater insights can be gainedwhich, in turn, might lead to transformational engagement of the community. In thisstudy, photostory was used for this purpose, and this article describes and reports onthe process and some of the findings. Prior to discussions about the actual process usedin the study, and an exploration of the results, a brief review of the literature on the useof photography in research is presented to set the scene for further analysis and discussion.

Using photography or images in research

The use of photography or images in research is certainly not new; it has a long history,particularly in the fields of cultural anthropology and sociology (Collier & Collier 1986;Mason 2005). According to Collier (1957), ‘the material obtained with photographs isprecise and at times even encyclopaedic’ (p. 856), and the ‘use of photographs/imageshelps research participants to overcome the fatigue and repetition of conventional inter-views’ (p. 858). Jorgenson and Sullivan (2010) explained that the use of photography inresearch enhances the participants’ ability to communicate their perspectives to theresearcher, and hence, is richer than the use of traditional surveys. More importantly, itallows the participants to dig deeper and express their concerns to the broader communityand to policy-makers (Samuels 2004). Also, the photographs taken by the participants aremore likely to reflect their world, and to provide them with a greater opportunity to dis-close their own sense of meaning to the researcher (Keremane & McKay 2011; Pierce &McKay 2008).

Collier used photographs for the first time in his work on mental health in the maritimeprovinces of Canada (Loeffler 2004), and since then there have been many studies thathave used photographs to engage research participants for illustration or documentationpurposes, or as a research tool (Gotschi et al. 2009). In the literature, different terms areused to describe the photographic method, such as photo elicitation (Harper 2002); photo-voice (Wang et al. 1998), photo novella (Wang et al. 1996), and reflexive photography(Hurworth 2003).

Researching water using photography

It is now well acknowledged that managing urban water sources requires multiple strat-egies (Collins & Ison 2009). This is reflected in policy and research that has the goal ofengaging people’s understandings of water, as well as enabling water a greater voice ineveryday urban life (Amores 2008). Researchers (Allon & Sofoulis 2006; Amores 2008)have examined the ubiquitous nature of water in understanding community perceptions,and this has proved to be difficult because of the complex relationships and interactionsbetween people, their built environments, and their everyday water usage. Accordingly,photo diaries, participant-led reflexive diaries, and interviews were used as a set of com-prehensive research methods to understand the community’s perceptions about water. To

2 Z. WU ET AL.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

date, the research has focused on improving water conservation and changing water beha-viours (Sofoulis 2011). These interactions between researchers and community via photos-tory or photovoice influence how people perceive water in their everyday lives and therelationship they have with the city’s infrastructure, policies, and governance structures(Loftus 2007). These processes are dynamic and provide different lens for researchers tounderstand a community’s everyday water realities.

While photovoice has been used extensively in health, education, psychology, and com-munity development research, in the natural resources domain, it has only recentlyemerged as a tool for examining change in the natural environment or for exploringhuman–environment interactions (Bennett & Dearden 2013). As a result, there are notmany studies exploring community values, thoughts, and/or concerns about waterthrough photography or images. Some of these studies are reviewed below.

Keremane and McKay (2011) used photostory with members of stressed and conflictedirrigation communities in rural Australia to capture their emotions about different issuesrelated to sustainable water management and conflict. The study found that photostorygenerated greater interest from the community to take part in the study, unlike word-only interviews and/or oral and written surveys; more importantly, it gave them a toolto voice their concerns about a specific issue (sustainable water management in thiscase) to the broader community and to policy-makers. Baldwin (2008) used an adaptationof photovoice to uncover the values and interests of stakeholders participating in two stategovernment water resource planning processes in Queensland, Australia. The study foundthat understanding and sharing stakeholders’ values and interests about water could beused to resolve differences in water planning. Atkinson et al. (2009) used a mixed-methods approach, including photos, diaries, individual interviews, and group discus-sions, to explore the importance of community conversations and how the process ofreflection and dialogue can prepare communities for further engagement and action toaddress complex environmental issues. Likewise, Pierce and McKay (2008) used a com-munity capital approach, coupled with photovoice, to assess community sustainability.The authors found that the method provided data on the more elusive aspects of the com-munity capital approach such as social and human capital. The authors further suggestedthat this method may have wider applicability in assessing the impact of other environ-mentally sensitive industries as well as developments in other communities.

On a slightly different note,Golder et al. (2013) aimed to drawout subconscious practicesand cultures aroundwaterwithin households inAuckland,NewZealand, through the use ofa combination of water diaries, photo diaries, and interviews. Their findings demonstratedhow sustainability and water saving affect ‘little water’1 and water cultures. It also demon-strated the potential of the approach to transform the ways in which we understand andmanage water, and provide a richer, more complex picture of everyday water cultures.

The photostory method in this study

This study used photostory method to capture community views on various issues associ-ated with sustainable urban water management in general, as well as issues related to thevarious sources of water supply, particularly the ‘new’ sources such as desalination,recycled wastewater, and stormwater. This method allowed for the ‘capture’ of the percep-tions of the community through images and narratives.

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 3

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

Photostory is an adaptation of photovoice technique developed by Wang and her col-leagues in 1992 (Keremane & McKay 2011). The authors used photovoice technique as aguide and modified it to suit the local context. We called it photostory because the imagesand the corresponding narratives covered the personal aspects of the story of the partici-pants (water users in this case), and the focus was more on the story – the two dimensionalnarrative (visual and written) as to how the participants make sense of the lived experienceof the changes to water availability. Furthermore, in this method, participants wereallowed to include other visual forms of expression and representation such old photo-graphs and drawings to tell their story. This was in addition to the participant-producedphotographs, and was a modification of photovoice. The modified process used in thisstudy is depicted in Figure 1.

Site selection, understanding the issues, and setting the study themes

The studywas an important component of a legal and governance study, which aimed to identifythe governance challenges and potential solutions to support the implementation of an IUWMstrategy in metropolitan Adelaide. Therefore, in accordance with the project requirement, theparticipants of the photostory process were residents of the Adelaide metropolitan area.

A scoping study (Keremane et al. 2014a) was initially conducted to identify the issuesassociated with urban water management in general, and the implementation of anIUWM strategy for metropolitan Adelaide in particular, in order to provide a betterunderstanding of the issues related to IUWM and to decide on the themes for the mainstudy. The following broad themes were identified:

(1) The meaning of water(2) What is good about living here(3) What is bad about living here(4) Difficulties with water(5) Issues and debates in urban water management

Figure 1. Photostory process in this study (Keremane & McKay 2011).

4 Z. WU ET AL.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

(6) Sustainable water management(7) Ownership issue of newwater sources (e.g. stormwater, sewage water, and desalinated water)(8) Water justice

Recruitment of participants and introductory workshop

The recruitment of participants for the study was a difficult and time-consumingprocess (Keremane & McKay 2011). First, invitations to participate in the study weresent to 160 email addresses gathered during the project team’s previous householdsurveys about urban water management. The recipients were those participants whohad indicated their willingness to take part in further research related to Australianurban water management. The team did not have a great deal of success in recruitingpeople on the first occasion with only seven recipients agreeing to participate in thestudy. They were invited to an introductory workshop; however, only three attended.The others could not attend due either to prior commitments, or the time and date didnot suit them. During the workshop, the participants were briefed about the processand were informed about what was expected of them. At the end of the workshop, photos-tory packs were given to the attendees. We also asked them to refer people to us who theythought may be interested in participating. As a result, we were able to recruit more par-ticipants and, in total, ten people agreed to participate, all of whom were provided with thematerials pack.

The materials pack consisted of a camera, a photo diary, a pen and a text-based diary, aquick guide, and a reply-paid envelope for the participants to return their cameras. Inaddition, we gave each participant a supermarket voucher (valued at $20) as a ‘thankyou’ gift. The pack also contained a book published as part of the team’s previous studywith irrigators (Keremane & McKay 2011). The book gave the participants informationabout the method to be used and what was expected of them.

Relevant ethical issues were addressed in accordance with the Human Research EthicsPolicy of the University of South Australia. The university policy requires the project teamto secure the consent of any photographic subjects if the team intends to use the resultingimages in public displays, exhibitions, or publications. In accordance with the policy, therelevant consent forms – one for people who were photographed, and one for individualparticipants to use their images – were provided with the materials pack.

The photostory assignment

Participants were asked to take photographs of various aspects of water that were relatedto the given themes. As with the diaries, the participants were encouraged, but notrequired, to take 27 photographs. The participants were instructed to record their percep-tions of particular issues, take a photograph(s) that conveyed their perception, and thenrelate the photographs to the theme(s) as they saw fit. The participants were alsoadvised to articulate a theme of their own if they wished to. Along with the taking ofthe photographs, the participants were instructed to complete the diary with entriesabout the details and their perceptions of each image.

Diaries were used to record the participants’ thoughts about the photos they had taken.Captured within these scripts were not only the water practices, but also the emotional,

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 5

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

social, and political context in which these practices occurred (Bijoux & Myers 2006). Asthe participants chose which photograph to take or what to write in their diary, rich nar-ratives emerged that provided greater insight into everyday practices and perceptions thanmight have been obtained through an interview or survey (Golder et al. 2013). Havingthese details enabled the researchers to accurately attribute the data as they were dealingwith a large number of photographs over a period of several weeks. When the diaries weresubsequently discussed during the group interviews, the participants were able to elaborateupon, and to express their understandings of, the photographs and the entries in their diaries.

The assignment was open for 16 weeks to address one of the previously recognisedlimitations regarding the length of the process (Castleden et al. 2008; Keremane &McKay 2011), as it was deemed essential to give the participants enough time to takethe photographs and to reflect on them. During the four months of this study, two remin-ders were sent out to participants. At the end of the data collection process, the teamreceived eight cameras and the corresponding diaries, along with the consent forms of sub-jects (if they were photographed).

Information about the participants is detailed in Table 1. The geographical location of theparticipants represented a wide coverage of metropolitan Adelaide, as required by the project.The length of residence in the region ranged from 10 to 73 years. Because the exercise was verytime-consuming and required constant attention for approximately four months, we had onlyrecruited eight participants and half of them were retirees. The sample bias was acknowledgedto be a limitation of study that would affect the ability to generalise results.

After the data had been collected, the photographs were developed and printed. In total,148 photographs were collected. The narrative related to each image was transferred ver-batim from the diary onto the back of each respective photograph. In order to maintainparticipant confidentiality, each photograph was alphanumerically coded, indicating theparticipant and the theme. For example, a code of ‘B1’ meant participant B, theme 1. Inaddition to participant-produced photographs, we also received other forms of expressionand representation through which the participants had expressed their experience andtheir knowledge. For example, one participant returned an interesting book rather thana photo diary. In addition to the narratives to her photos, the book also included a fewrelevant articles that she cut from newspapers, colourful drawings, stuck-on crafts andher corresponding notes – all to tell a story.

Discussion workshop

The final step was to conduct a workshop with the participants to discuss their experiencesof participating in the process, and to ascertain their points of view about the photographs

Table 1. Participant information.Participants Occupation Suburb location Years of residence in the region Participation type

A Retired Parafield Gardens 73 Diarist and group discussionB Educator Morphettville 10 Diarist and group discussionC Government officer Campbelltown 10 DiaristD Not supplied Not supplied Not supplied DiaristE Massager Croydon 34 Diarist and group discussionF Retired Salisbury Not supplied DiaristG Retired North Adelaide 30 Diarist and group discussionH Retired Brompton 26 Diarist and group discussion

6 Z. WU ET AL.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

and the themes. This helped to elicit personal meaning for each issue under question (Hur-worth 2003). It was evident during the workshop that photographs evoke deeper elementsof human consciousness than do words (Harper 2002) because more comments on thetaken photos were received and two extra themes were generated in the workshop. Fiveout of eight of the participants attended the final workshop and contributed to the groupdiscussion. During the workshop, the participants looked through the printed photographsand narratives to select the best image(s) representing each theme. The group discussionswere centred on what the participants wrote in their diaries as well as the photographs. Thecommonalities and differences across the photographs were also taken into consideration,as well as the conversations between the participants in the workshop. At the end of theworkshop, two new themes were generated: ‘looking ahead’ and ‘now and then’. Altogether,30 photographs representing the revised themes were selected for use. This article discussesthe images relevant to the policy aspects of the issue, while the emotional aspects are pre-sented in another article (Keremane et al. 2014b).

Results

This section of the article explores the results of the photostory process through five water-related themes. The analysis was based on the photographs, the related diaries, and theworkshop outputs.

Sustainable water management

The increasing scarcity of fresh water has forced local governments and water authoritiesto broaden the range of sustainable water management practices to meet water demand inurban areas across the world (Umapathi et al. 2013). As one participant asked: ‘In order tomaintain so much green, how much water does it require? Sustainable water managementis really important, especially in a dry state like SA’.

There has recently been a strong emphasis on meeting urban residential waterdemand through utilising alternative water resources for ‘fit-for-purpose’ uses.Among a variety of water planning strategies that have been adopted worldwide,one of the most extensively used and practically viable options is the household rain-water tank (Umapathi et al. 2013). The use of ‘fit-for-purpose’ rainwater can effec-tively reduce the demand for potable water sources. Hence, connecting a rainwatertank to toilets, the laundry, and to garden taps is one of the most commonly acceptedend-use applications (see Figure 2). As one participant pointed out: ‘Most householdsin SA have a rainwater tank. Rainwater can be used for gardening, and flushingtoilets’.

The participants also placed significant emphasis on recycled water for ‘fit-for-purpose’uses under the theme of ‘sustainable water management’, also expressing their willingnessto use it (see Figure 3). For example, participants stated:

The lawns and gardens are watered by the same recycled system used for the toilets, provid-ing a pleasant environment. It also maintains soil moisture to prevent building movement –critical on the clay soils where we live.

Recycled water on lawns outside housing could maintain soil stability.

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 7

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

Water conservation

Water saving was another central concept in the participant’s entries. Common under-standings of water expressed in the participants’ photographs demonstrate that there ismuch concern about water wastage. The need to save water was predicated upon theidea that water is a scarce and finite resource requiring careful use. As one participant indi-cated in her diary: ‘Even though 75 per cent of our planet is covered by water, most of thewater is not drinkable. Drinking water resources are limited’.

Water conservation is an important strategy to address water shortages. The success ofconservation strategies depends on public support and individual behaviour change

Figure 2. Rainwater tank – rainwater can be used for watering gardens, flushing toilets.

Figure 3. Recycled water on lawns outside housing.

8 Z. WU ET AL.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

(Gilbertson et al. 2011). Participants described their own efforts and expectations of otherpeople’s efforts in saving water:

People expect to use a lot of water (for showers, dish washing, and for flushing the toilet. (seeFigure 4)

Leaking taps. Water is limited and shouldn’t be wasted.

Almost 30 per cent of water consumed in the home is flushed down the toilet. A half- or full-flush option saves both water and money.

One participant expressed his concerns about the water wasted while waiting for the hotwater to come through to the shower and sink. He wrote:

I have measured the quantity of water that runs out of the shower and sink, waiting for it towarm up, and it’s about eight litres per day. If there is a gap of a few more minutes to the nextshower, the same amount is wasted waiting for that to warm up.

This particular participant lives in a quite new development, which has approximately 210units and 250 residents. Most of the units have a gas water heater at the back of the housewith the bathroom closer to the front, with no lagging on the water pipes.

Difficulties with water

The difficulties with water are not only in relation to water scarcity, but also people’s beha-viours, for example, littering in waterways (see Figure 5) and urban planning issues. Oneparticipant found that ‘there is a dead tree within 20 metres of what’s called the Sturt Riveron maps. The river is in a concrete culvert, so no water can get into the subsoil’.

Energy requirements are another concern. The water and energy sectors are often inex-tricably linked, particularly in relation to new water sources such as treated stormwater,recycled wastewater, and desalinated water. The provision of water and sewerage servicesinvolves significant energy consumption and most forms of energy generation require sig-nificant water use (see Figure 6).

Figure 4. People expect to use much water.

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 9

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

Issues and debates in urban water management

Water utilities are increasingly aiming to diversify water sources to secure future watersupplies, reducing reliance on traditional water sources, and building resilience toclimate change (Spies & Dandy 2012). Stormwater harvesting, wastewater recycling,and desalination were major topics for discussion in response to the themes of urbanwater management and the diversification of urban water supplies. New housing construc-tions with dual pipes are often seen in Salisbury, Adelaide (Figure 7). Harvested storm-water and wastewater reuse for non-potable supply have greater community acceptancethan desalination, but are also more expensive (Spies & Dandy 2012), and require athird-pipe network, with the associated risk of cross-connections. Nevertheless, indirectpotable use of stormwater or reclaimed wastewater, for potable reuse after suitable treat-ment, may become more attractive in the future.

Figure 5. Litter in waterway.

Figure 6. Pumping station needs to access underground aquifers – energy requirement.

10 Z. WU ET AL.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

South Australia is well known for its water recycling projects. Mawson Lakes is onesuch project located in Salisbury, 12 kilometres north of the Adelaide CBD. It is anurban development which was established in the late 1990s for about 9000 people. Theproject includes a reclaimed water supply which reduces household potable demand byhalf, through providing recycled stormwater and wastewater for toilet flushing and water-ing of gardens. The houses in the development have dual pipes to connect with potablemains water and reclaimed water. In addition to the Mawson Lakes project, the City ofSalisbury is currently taking stormwater harvesting and recycling to the next level bydeveloping and expanding the water distribution network to provide recycled stormwaterthrough a process known as aquifer storage and recovery throughout the Salisbury areaand beyond (see Figure 8).

Figure 7. New house construction. Recycled and mains water piping into house.

Figure 8. Stormwater harvesting wetland in Salisbury, South Australia.

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 11

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

Ownership issues in relation to new water sources (e.g. stormwater, sewagewater, and desalinated water)

A scoping study conducted earlier (Keremane et al. 2014a) found that the addition of newsources, such as stormwater and reclaimed water, into the urban water supply has resultedin a complex entitlements regime and related issues around security of access. This isbecause the current entitlement arrangements governing these sources of water are notclearly defined. Ownership and access rights to these ‘new’ water sources (stormwater,sewage water, and desalinated water) remain unclear. Seeing the stormwater collectionin various ponds in the area, one participant asked the question (see Figure 9): ‘Whoowns it?’

Observing the ‘keep out’ sign and the razor wire fencing surrounding the Adelaidedesalination plant, participants felt unsure about who owns the water (see Figure 10):‘I am not sure who owns the water, but I am positive I’ll be paying for this project for along time through inflated water bills and whatever the SA Government can get out of me’.

Figure 9. Stormwater collected in ponds. Who owns it?

Figure 10. Keep out sign. The desalination plant complex is fenced with razor wire.

12 Z. WU ET AL.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

Conclusion

This article reports the process and results of a study in which community was engaged toexamine emotional resonance around the concept of urban water. The photostoryapproach in this study explored how ordinary people perceive and understand the givenwater-related themes through image and narrative. The data were made up of sharedstories about water and, in particular, urban water management. The process of reflectingon the water-related themes by writing in a diary and taking photographs makes clearwhat ordinary people perceive about the issues or debates around traditional watersources, ‘new’ water sources, water conservation, and water justice. The narratives cap-tured through the combination of the photos and diaries were revisited and re-examinedwith the participants during the group discussions (Alaszewski 2006; Bolger et al. 2003;Reid et al. 2011), which allowed them to acknowledge their practices and to recognisehow their actions are implicated in current urban water flows (Gregson & Rose 2000).

The participant-produced photographs and other forms of visual expressions collectedduring the process suggest that water wastage is a common concern, as shown by differ-ences in ideas and unexpected behaviours around water use. These concerns were furtherteased out when the participants were involved in the group discussions about the photo-graphs and themes. In addition to water waste, the participants expressed their concernsabout water-affecting behaviours, such as littering in waterways. Energy requirements inrelation to water use, particularly the generation and use of new sources of water, are otherconcerns put forward by these participants. A portfolio-based approach, which includesalternative water sources in the urban water supply, was largely acceptable to most ofthe participants. The participants took many photographs, which captured the issues inrelation to rain tank water, stormwater harvesting, wastewater recycling, and desalinatedwater. The unclear ownership of new water sources was also explored and requires furtherresearch to tease out the issues.

The dialogue occurring around the photographs, the diaries, and the group discussionsdemonstrates how this particular method can provide a greater depth of understanding inrelation to how water saving and sustainable water management are rationalised andbecome a shared experience. The participants found the entire process very interesting,straightforward, and worthwhile. For example, one participant stated: ‘I enjoyed beinginvolved. It made me think about the issues listed as themes in a deeper way than Imay have otherwise’.

While suggesting that the photostory method is powerful and useful, the learnings fromusing this method in this study suggest that it is not practical for a larger scale study, giventhe difficulty of recruiting participants, the turnaround time for receiving the cameras backand the possible biased sampling. Though the results of this study cannot be broadly gen-eralisable, the method highlighted a process for investigating the in-depth perceptions of asegment of the population. Finally, the study also highlighted a number of issues thatrequire attention when using the photostory approach. First, recruiting participants isnot a simple process and can be conducted in multiple ways, such as contacting previousresearch participants and snowballing, as was the case in this study, or through othermeans such as recruiting members of particular associations relevant to the study(e.g. irrigators association, water industry groups) (Baldwin 2008; Keremane & McKay2011) or dropping letters to households.

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 13

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

Second, time and materials management are of paramount importance in such aproject, as the entire process is very time-consuming. Further, the participants mustattend to and take care of the camera and the diary throughout the data collectionphase of the project. There may also be some withdrawals of participants which need tobe managed; for example, in this study, two participants withdrew their participationfor personal reasons.

Third, having two face-to-face workshops is critical. The first introductory workshophelps the participants to understand the aims of, and the process for, the entire exercise,and what the researchers expect of them. When they are clear about the method, theytend to be better able to snowball more participants, as in this study. The final workshopis designed to bring the participants together to choose and discuss the photographs, andis a crucial part of the process. This assists them to tease out their thoughts in a deeperand clearer way. In this study, the participants enjoyed their involvement, and many indi-cated their willingness to participate in future studies.

Last, reminders and ‘thank you’ gifts are always useful. During the four months of thisstudy, the project team sent out two reminders, one New Year greeting card, and $20supermarket vouchers for each participant, all of which resulted in positive feedback.

Note

1. ‘Little water’ is a term used by Allon (2006) to illustrate the everyday water practices that occurin the home and garden. Allon (2006) also uses this concept to demonstrate the contestationbetween the dominant Big Water management systems and the everyday ‘little water’ that dom-inates cultural experiences with water (Gloder et al. 2013, p. 254).

Acknowledgements

This study acknowledges the sponsorship by the Goyder Institute for Water Research, SouthAustralia. We are also grateful to our participants for their time and effort.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

References

Alaszewski, A 2006, Using diaries for social research, Sage Publications Ltd, London, UK.Allon, F 2006, ‘Dams, plants, pipes and flows: from big water to everyday water’, Reconstruction,

vol. 6, viewed 26 July 2014 <http://reconstruction.eserver.org/063/allon.shtml>.Allon, F & Sofoulis, Z 2006, ‘Everydaywater: cultures in transition’,AustralianGeographer, vol. 37, pp. 45–55.Amores, JA 2008, ‘Ideology, magic and spectres: towards a cultural analysis of water use’, Current

Sociology, vol. 56, pp. 779–797.Atkinson, M, Kilvington, M & Fenemor, A 2009, Watershed talk – the cultivation of ideas and

action, Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln, New Zealand, 45pp.Baldwin, C 2008, Integrating values and interest in water planning using a consensus-building

approach, Thesis (PhD), the University of Queensland.Bennett, NJ & Dearden, P 2013, ‘A picture of change: using Photovoice to explore social and

environmental change in coastal communities on the Andaman Coast of Thailand’, LocalEnvironment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability, vol. 18, no. 9, pp. 983–1001.

14 Z. WU ET AL.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

Bijoux, D & Myers, J 2006, ‘Interviews, solicited diaries and photography: “new” ways of accessingeveryday experiences of place’, Graduate Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies, vol. 4, pp. 44–64.

Bolger, N, Davis, A & Rafaeli, E 2003, ‘Diary methods: capturing life as it is lived’, Annual Review ofPsychology, vol. 54, pp. 579–616.

Brown, R & Farrelly, M 2009, ‘Challenges ahead: social and institutional factors influencing sustain-able urban stormwater management in Australia’, Water Science and Technology, vol. 59, no. 4,pp. 653–660.

Brown, RR, Sharp, L & Ashley, RM 2006, ‘Implementation impediments to institutionalising thepractice of sustainable urban water management’, Water Science & Technology, vol. 54, no. 6-7, pp. 415–422.

Castleden, H, Garvin, T & Huu-ay-aht First Nation 2008, ‘Modifying photovoice for community-based participatory Indigenous research’, Social Science & Medicine, vol. 66, no. 6, pp. 1393–1405.

Collier, J 1957, ‘Photography in anthropology: a report on two experiments’, AmericanAnthropologist, vol. 59, pp. 843–859.

Collier, J & Collier, M 1986, Visual anthropology: photography as a research method, University ofNew Mexico Press, Albuquerque.

Collins, K & Ison, R 2009, ‘Editorial: living with environmental change: adaptation as social learn-ing’, Environmental Policy and Governance, vol. 19, pp. 351–357.

Gilbertson, M, Hurlimann, A & Dolnicar, S 2011, ‘Does water context influence behaviour and atti-tudes to water conservation?’, Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 18, no. 1,pp. 47–60.

Golder, C, Trowsdale, S & Fisher, K 2013, ‘Writing and photographing ‘little water’’, AustralasianJournal of Environmental Management, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 242–255.

Gotschi, E, Delve, R & Freyer, B 2009, ‘Participatory photography as a qualitative approach toobtain insights into farmer groups’, Field Methods, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 290–308.

Gregson, N & Rose, G 2000, ‘Taking Butler elsewhere: performativities, spatialities and subjectiv-ities’, Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, vol. 18, pp. 433–452.

Harper, D 2002, ‘Visual evidence: a Seventh Man, the specified generalization, and the work of thereader’, Visual Studies, vol. 17, pp. 3–11.

Hurworth, R 2003, ‘Photo-interviewing for research’, Social Research Update, vol. 40, pp. 1–4.Jorgenson, J & Sullivan, T 2010, ‘Accessing children’s perspectives through participatory photo-

interviews’, Forum Qualitative Social Research, vol. 11, no. 1. Art. 8, viewed 5 January 2014<http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/447/2891>.

Keremane, GB & McKay, J 2011, ‘Using photoStory to capture irrigators’ emotions about waterpolicy and sustainable development objectives: a case study in rural Australia’, ActionResearch, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 405–425.

Keremane, G, Wu, Z & McKay, J 2014a, Institutional arrangements for implementing diverse watersupply portfolio in metropolitan Adelaide – scoping Study, Goyder Institute for Water ResearchTechnical Report Series No. 14/14, Adelaide, South Australia. ISSN: 1839–2725.

Keremane, G, Wu, Z &McKay, J 2014b, ‘The emotional connection to urban water through the lensof the water customer: a photostory exercise in metropolitan Adelaide’, Water: Journal of theAustralian Water Association, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 61–65.

Loeffler, T 2004, ‘A photo elicitation study of the meanings of outdoor adventure experiences’,Journal of Leisure Research, vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 536–557.

Loftus, A 2007, ‘Working the socio-natural relations of the urban waterscape in South Africa’,International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, vol. 31, pp. 41–59.

Mason, P 2005, ‘Visual data in applied qualitative research: lessons from experience’, QualitativeResearch, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 325–346.

McKay, JM 2005, ‘Water institutional reform in Australia’, Water Policy, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 35–52.North, DC 1971, ‘Institutional change and economic growth’, The Journal of Economic History, vol.

31, no. 1, pp. 118–125.Pierce, J & McKay, JM 2008, ‘On community capitals as we see them through photovoice: Cowell

oyster industry in South Australia’, Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 15,no. 3, pp. 159–168.

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 15

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016

Reid, L, Hunter, C & Sutton, PW 2011, ‘Rising to the challenge of environmental behaviour change:developing a reflexive diary approach’, Geoforum, vol. 42, pp. 720–730.

Samuels, J 2004, ‘Breaking the ethnographers frames: reflections on the use of photo elicitation inunderstanding Sri Lankan monastic culture’, American Behavioral Scientist, vol. 47, no. 12, pp.1528–1550.

Sofoulis, Z 2011, ‘Skirting complexity: the retarding quest for the average water user’, Continuum,vol. 25, pp. 795–810.

Spies, B & Dandy, G 2012, Sustainable water management: securing Australia’s future in a greeneconomy, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences, Australian Research Council,Melbourne, Australia.

Umapathi, S, Chong, MN & Sharma, AK 2013, ‘Evaluation of plumbed rainwater tanks in house-holds for sustainable water resource management: a real-time monitoring study’, Journal ofCleaner Production, vol. 42, pp. 204–214.

Walton, S & Rivers, C 2011, ‘A missed opportunity: understanding community stakeholders’ per-spectives’, Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 155–169.

Wang, CC, Burris, M & Ping, XY 1996, ‘Chinese village women as visual anthropologists: a parti-cipatory approach to reaching policymakers’, Social Science andMedicine, vol. 42, no. 10, pp. 1391–1400.

Wang, CC, Yi, WK, Tao, ZW & Carovano, K 1998, ‘Photovoice as a participatory health promotionstrategy’, Health Promotion International, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 75–86.

Weyland, K 2006, ‘Toward a new theory of institutional change’, World Politics, vol. 60, no. 2, pp.281–314.

16 Z. WU ET AL.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

14.2

.123

.188

] at

05:

21 2

5 M

ay 2

016