1. #H2O: How to Engage Millennials in Water Economics, Conservation
and Policies
August 24, 2016
Probolsky Research
3990 Westerly Place Suite 185
Newport Beach, CA USA
(949) Newport Beach
(415) San Francisco
(202) Washington DC

2. Who are Millennials?
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3. Millennial Generation
Born After 1980 – First Generation to Come of Age in the New Millennium
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4. The Millennial Stereotype
There’s truth to the Millennial Stereotype. Yes, they’re living at home.
“In 2014, for the first time in more than 130 years, adults ages 18 to 34 were slightly more likely to be living in their parents’ home than they were to be living with a spouse or partner in their own household.”
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5. The Other Side of Millennials
Lowest amount of credit card debt for under-35s since 1989
“Data from the Federal Reserve indicates that the percentage of Americans under 35 who hold credit card debt has fallen to its lowest level since 1989, when the Fed began collecting data in a standardized way…”
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6. Millennials Are Your Most Important Customers.
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7. Technological Innovation: Your Early Adopters
Millennials are key audience for new water conservation technology
“Millennials are 2.5x more likely to be early adopters of technology.”
“For Millennials, being an early technology adopter is not tied to life stage.”
“Even Millennials with children continue to adopt new technology with enthusiasm.”
Source: The Boston Consulting Group & Barkley
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8. Millennials are coming of age as electoral force
Although equal in strength, Millennials still have lowest voter turnout
69.2 million: Number of Voting-Age Millennials in the United States
Millennials are equal to Baby Boomers in the nation’s electoral strength
31% of the voting-eligible population – but lowest voter turnout.
Source: Pew Research Center
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9. What do Millennials think about water & the drought?
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10. More Millenials believe that their household
Consumes more water inside their homes than it does outside
Question: On average, do you think your household uses more water inside your home or outside of your home?
18-34
Everyone
18-34
Everyone
18-34
Everyone
*July 2 through July 3, 2016, Telephone survey within Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
N= 405 MOE = +/-4.8% 95% degree of confidence. Interviews were conducted with voters on both landline and mobile phones (60% were completed on mobile phones) and were offered in English and Spanish languages.
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11. 51.6% of Millennials support recovering 100% of fixed costs
Highest Support of Any Age Group (Only Group with Majority Support)
Question: The water agency that delivers water to your home charges you not only for the water you use, but also for the fixed costs associated with delivering water to your home, the repair, maintenance and replacement of water pipelines, pumps and water treatment facilities as well as chemicals that are necessary to keep our water supply safe. Most water
agencies in California do not charge customers enough to recover the full cost of their fixed costs, meaning the agencies lose money every month. These water agencies sometimes take money out of reserve funds to cover the difference. Recently water agencies in California have gradually started moving toward recovering 100% of of the fixed costs of delivering water to their customers to prevent spending down reserves and to ensure reliable water service in the future. Do you support or oppose this move toward water agencies charging customers the full cost?
*June 16 through June 20, 2016, telephone survey of likely November, 2016 General Election voters throughout the state of California.
N= 1,014, MOE +/-3.1% with a confidence level of 95%. Interviews were conducted with voters on both landline and mobile phones (42% were completed on mobile phones) and were offered in English and Spanish languages.
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12. More 18-34 year-olds value water at 1 cent
How much do you think a gallon of water that comes out of your tap at home should cost?
More year-olds value water at 1 cent
*June 16 through June 20, 2016, telephone survey of likely November, 2016 General Election voters throughout the state of California.
N= 1,014, MOE +/-3.1% with a confidence level of 95%. Interviews were conducted with voters on both landline and mobile phones (42% were completed on mobile phones) and were offered in English and Spanish languages.
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13. The rise and fall of water/drought
In the minds of California’s voters
Question: What is the most important issue facing your community today?
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14. Drought Frame of Reference: “It doesn’t rain like it used to”
Millennial’s frame of reference is drought-centered.
Data Source:
LA Almanac/National Weather Service
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15. How do we engage Millennials in responsible water policy?
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16. 78.5% of Millennials support public education and outreach
Strongest support by any age group for public outreach
Question: If there was a tax measure on an upcoming election in your city or county, do you think it would be appropriate or inappropriate for the city or county government to spend government resources to conduct a public education and outreach effort to inform residents about the potential impacts of the tax passing or not passing?
18-34
Everyone
18-34
Everyone
18-34
Everyone
*June 16 through June 20, 2016, telephone survey of likely November, 2016 General Election voters throughout the state of California.
N= 1,014, MOE +/-3.1% with a confidence level of 95%. Interviews were conducted with voters on both landline and mobile phones (42% were completed on mobile phones) and were offered in English and Spanish languages.
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17. Social Media: Medium is the Message
Marshall McLuhan’s observation remains true – especially for Millennials.
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18. Source: Pew Research Center, May 2016
The “medium” isn’t permanent
Even the social media juggernaut Facebook is vulnerable to changing tastes.
“Focus group discussions with teens show that they have waning enthusiasm for Facebook, disliking the increasing adult presence, people sharing excessively, and stressful “drama,” but they keep using it because participation is an important part of overall teenage socializing.”
Source: Pew Research Center, May 2016
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19. Gamification: Got to Catch ‘Em All!
Water conservation tools can be linked to online games
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20. More apps and games are focused on water conservation
Water conservation tools can be linked to games, points & rewards.
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21. New “smart irrigation” controls
Millennials are likely to embrace new “smart” devices & water conservation tools.
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22. New tools such as Ôasys and WaterSmart track water usage
Millennials are likely to embrace new “smart” devices & water conservation tools.
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23. Thank you Probolsky Research 3990 Westerly Place Suite 185
Newport Beach, CA USA
(949) Newport Beach
(415) San Francisco
(202) Washington DC