Every year Texas+Water sends out a survey to ask our subscribers how we are doing. This year 228 subscribers, more than twice the number in 2019, responded to the Texas+Water Subscriber Feedback (2020) Survey via Water Opinions. Overall, our subscribers gave Texas+Water a rating of 4.3 stars.
Some of the more definitive results of the survey include to keep publishing the newsletter once a month, and to focus more on Texas water news, which was also the most popular of our features (news+water).
As for the regular features that were dropped earlier this year (events+water, people+water, jobs+water and poetry+water) the consensus was that events+water and people+water should be brought back as occasional features appearing a few times a year.
When it came to the question of whether you would you be interested in sending information to us on water such as press releases, upcoming events, job postings and news relevant, the answer was – not so much. But don’t let this worry you, we have no shortage of information to share with you every month.
When it came to the issue of how to fund Texas+Water in the future there was plenty of support for relying on major sponsors and including advertising, so we will test the waters on both of these in 2021.
In addition to the feedback on our features, publishing frequency and other topics, the survey elicited many comments that are worth reading. Here is a small sample of some of my favorites:
“Not sure how distribution is determined, but Texas + Water should be offered to every water district in Texas. This includes Groundwater Conservation Districts, River Authorities, Water Control and Improvement Districts, Municipal Utility Districts, Freshwater Supply Districts, etc.”
“Texas+Water is an excellent source. Our faculty use it in their classes. I believe that this is (or certainly will be in the future) the most important issue in our state.”
“Excellent publication. The wider the distribution, the better. Very good representation of the hot topics in Texas. I really enjoy that the editors seem to focus on the stories that nobody else is talking about but should be.”
“This is an important newsletter. Articles on how Texas and its important parts are thinking about water, legislating around water and what all that means to urban and rural water usage and to the water needs of Texas going forward. This is especially important in a state whose legislature and many of its political leaders don’t believe in the effects of climate change.
“It’s been good from the start and possibly getting better. I enjoy the coverage on U.S.-Mexico water issues. The interviews are cool. Images and poetry brings a nice relief from the stressful part; reminding one to remember the beauty of water. Job postings, headlines, upcoming events, and summaries of past events make it interesting and well-rounded; something for everyone.”
