I’ve been called a technology dinosaur, and frankly I’ve earned it. Marci can attest that I’ve come kicking and screaming into the late 80’s on much of what is cutting edge on the internet.  But I’m trying to embrace “social media” and be open to how it might benefit water professionals.  And when she told me that a mega-government bureaucracy like TSA has a blog, I knew we had to explore it.

When I started in this business 20 years ago, most utilities would rather sit on a fire ant bed than communicate with the public.  Slowly we cracked the door open and started to see benefits to educating customers and elected officials about this industry’s complexity.  And now we’re flinging the door wide open with ”social media.”  If, like me, you thought that meant reporters who were friendly, you’re wrong.  It basically means tapping into the new ways people are communicating beyond traditional one-way dialogue.  Everything from blogs, to YouTube, to Facebook, and beyond fall under this heading.

So what do you think? Are these new communication channels something you see as value for your strategic efforts to reach the public?  Does your agency have a blog or are you considering launching one? Are there other social media channels you’re using to attract new employees or a younger generation of consumers?