Chapter 38 – Nanoscience and Water: Public Engagement at and Below the Surface

Potable water is a threatened resource for the developing world. As nanoscience contributes to the development of nanotechnologies with the potential to provide safe and inexpensive drinking water to developing countries, it is imperative that the public accepts and maintains the technology. Converting the public in developing countries into advocates can increase the probability of overall acceptance of exotic treatment technologies. Anchoring public sentiment positively will improve the options when resolving problems that predictably arise as new water technologies are implemented. Public engagement demands an approach both appropriate to the public and to the technology. A municipally based system will demand a different engagement approach than a point-of-use system. As such, a relevant case-specific strategy of engagement must be developed to coincide with the introduction of new water treatment technologies.