The results reveal that Bay Area residents continue to have strong opinions about water policy issues and the need for reform. Residents also overwhelmingly favor, by a 64 to 25 percent margin, making it easier to buy and sell water, a key step in the establishment of a water market. The public wants increased water efficiency and conservation, but they also want increased reliability of supply through use of off-stream storage areas. The 1998 Bay Area Poll, commissioned each year by the Bay Area Council, was conducted by Field Research Corporation during the period of October 13 through 22. A total of 603 residents of the nine-county Bay Area were surveyed by telephone using a random probability sampling technique.
Findings are subject to a sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points.
The full results of the 1998 Bay Area Poll will be released in approximately one month. Bay Area residents provide their detailed opinions on a wide range of issues affecting the economy and quality of life of the Bay Area, including transportation, development, education, and air quality. The public historically has an uncanny way of discerning water policy matters and supporting a balanced approach that is environmentally responsible and makes good common sense. The message stakeholders should be getting is that it's time to bridge their differences and reach a decision. The opinions of Bay Area residents closely reflect the policy positions advocated by the Bay Area Council.