AWWA JAW37606

De Tocqueville said the success of the American experiment depended on the quality of citizen involvement in governance. Today, public participation in government--other than voting--involves a minuscule fraction of the citizenry, and an adversarial relationship often exists between citizens and government. Total quality management (TQM) offers citizens and public officials a way to open the lines of communication and improve municipal conditions. In Orem, Utah, a water shortage and restrictions led to a year-long communitywide planning and educational process that incorporated TQM principles. Public opinion of water managers has improved, and local citizens are now educated about water management. Orem has not further restricted water use despite the drought that has continued since 1986. Includes 12 references, tables, figure.