Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

In my interviews, I have interviewed people who should have the need, but they actually do not have the unmet need. Simply, there are not the first point of contact. The people I have interviewed are homeowners, business owners, workers in school, managers of golf courses, and real estate agents. These groups of people are consumers of the product produced by the drinking water and wastewater treatment plants. They do not realize how much work is involved in producing the tap water to satisfy everyday needs. Also, it includes the laboratory tests that are needed to keep the plants in compliance and operating safely and properly. The environmental labs need certification to produce their product, which is the lab results. The treatment plants need their own separate certifications and the lab results to ensure their product is safe and consumable, so the plant is in compliance. A homeowner would have to boil the water. A golf course manager would have to spend money on artificial turf because the grass would not be able to be watered. Businesses cannot operate without a fresh water supply. Schools cannot open without a clean water source for the students and staff. Real estate agents would not be able to sell homes if the potential sellers could not pass the homeowner inspections, which environmental laboratories are a part of. Landscapers would not have the same opportunity because they do not need to rely on a water sources for the lawns they cut. A maid whose job is just to clean the house would not need this opportunity, as well; the same goes for taxi drivers and delivery service personnel. Essentially, it is people who go to other people’s homes and businesses to do labor work. They are not the direct consumers of the water being supplied to the establishment. It is the responsibility of their employer. Their job duties have no bearing on this water supply and the federal certification processes.

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Who is In: Environmental labs and the water treatment plants	Who is Not: Homeowners, school workers, real estate agents, managers of gold courses, labor workers
What the Need Is: Safer water production	What the Need Is Not: The need is not recognized as having to go through such strict regulations and procedures.
Why the Need Exists: The government is trying to make a profit off private sectors by collecting fees for such certifications	Alternative Explanations: They do not have direct contact with the labs and plants. They are simply the consumers of these services.