Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD)
Dakota Communications has been working with the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) since 2015 on a variety of outreach campaigns, ranging from the Bay Delta Conservation Plan to the pipeline alignment construction in and around Long Beach. Most recently, in 2022, Dakota was awarded the outreach contract for MWD’s Regional Recycled Water Program, “Pure Water Southern California,” which would provide purified water for up to 15 million people.
As part of their outreach strategy, Dakota conducted polling studies to assess public knowledge and perception about water reuse, groundwater replenishment, the role of MWD, and other key issues. Based on these initial studies, Dakota was able to develop and refine effective messages that resonate with the public and best communicate the benefits of MWD’s Regional Recycled Water Program, ultimately addressing top-level community concerns about the safety, cleanliness, and uses of recycled water. These tailored messages were shared among several mediums ranging from social media to physical pieces like postcards, fact sheets, FAQs, and newsletters.
Dakota also played an essential role in the coordination of traffic impacts, working with local schools and businesses to prepare and update the community with important project details. Additionally, Dakota organized meetings and events with key community partners, elected officials, businesses, faith-based organizations, and also partnered with leaders in the health, science, and medical fields to gain insight and garner local support for the pure water initiative.
Dakota’s strategies generated exposure from local media outlets, newspapers, community radio programs, and op-eds in local newspapers. Dakota Communications continues to build on this strategic outreach foundation with their Pure Water Southern California project, which is now one of the largest water reuse programs in the world.