Atrisco Well #5: a case study of failure in professional communication

Conflicts over Atrisco Well #5 in New Mexico demonstrate the potential failures of technical communication in gaining citizen trust, particularly when significant cultural differences exist. In an era of increasing polarization among cultural groups and demand for purposeful decision-making processes, professional communicators, technical people and policy-makers must be careful in putting forward project applications. The difficulties faced in ethical and cultural assumptions in policy-making situations may present barriers that have little to do with the feasibility and advisability of a project.