Changing the Water Reuse Conversation with Beer



GEOG 4572 Final Presentation

Spring 2018

Ginny Katz

Ginny Katz

Courtney Van Stolk

Courtney Van Stolk

Aradia Farmer

Aradia Farmer

OUR GOAL:
Help Clean Water Services tell the story of


Preparing for the New Normal

Water Supplies in an Uncertain Climate






  • Heeding Nature's Silent Call

    Innovating with Water Reuse


Window of Discourse

From   "The Overton Window"   written by   Joseph P. Overton

  • Unthinkable

  • Radical

  • Acceptable

  • Sensible

  • Popular

  • Good Public Policy

Provide information that is interesting and engaging and is simple enough to understand but technical enough to trust.

Talking About Water, pp. 71

Media Perception

  • Analyzing the Conversation

Public Perception

Word data from Social Media Analysis

Talking About Water (Slovic, et al 2014)

Beer? I think, yes!




Art Larrance

Cascade Brewing · Co-Founder and CEO

Bill Gaffi, P.E.

General Manager of Clean Water Services · Executive Director of the Clean Water Institute

Sharing a taste

Sending the Message

Pure Water Brew

Clear Concept Verbiage






The only thing remarkable about it is that it isn't remarkable at all.

Bill Gaffi, P.E. · General Manager of Clean Water Services · Executive Director of the Clean Water Institute

Positive words from media analysis

Expanding Partnership 2014

  • Department of Environmental Quality , State of Oregon

    "Using recycled water will become increasingly important in our region as demands on our water resources increase."

  • Environmental Protection Agency, United States

    "Pure Water Brew is an excellent example of our ability to take water that is otherwise thought of as waste and put it to direct positive value as a beer."

    "There is no reason in the world to judge water by its history.We are very much focused on what’s the quality of the water for the use to which it will be put." Ken Kopocis, EPA Deputy Administrator Office of Water (2015)

A Hoppy Experience

Sharing the local passion.


Featured Local Brewers

McPolanders Taproom
2016 PWB winner, Steve Woods
Lee Hedgemen of Ladies of Lagers & Ales

I only love the lotus, which came out of mud yet is not contaminated, washed by ripples yet is not vain.

Dunyi Zhou (1017 -1073 A.D.)

Lessons Learned


Make data share simple.


Listen, then listen again with empathy.


Story is fluid. Keep the message central.

Special Thanks

Dr. Bo Zhao- Contributing Partner

Brian Katz- Support Team

Giovanni Svevo- Support Team

Chunxue Xue- Language Support Team

Rick Debbout- Data Support

Questions?