The key study objective was to determine whether a change in the proportion of heavy alcohol consumers had a measurable impact on the overall distribution of alcohol consumption. Secondary objectives were to assess the interaction between heavy and moderate drinkers and to examine the impact of a drinking management intervention on heavy alcohol consumers. Three communities in southern Ontario, Canada, with 8,000 to 12,000 inhabitants were selected for analysis. Data were obtained in the winters of 1984 and 1986, times when there were no special festivals or events associated with unusually high rates of alcohol consumption and when official statistics on alcohol sales indicated that monthly consumption was at or below the annual mean. The survey instrument assessed individual alcohol consumption by using various indicators of typical and heavy drinking and attitudes toward alcohol use, prevention, and treatment. The intervention for heavy alcohol consumers involved an educational and counseling program. Project staff also collected information about community perceptions of alcohol use and responses to alcohol problems. It appeared that members of the intervention group reduced their alcohol consumption during the course of participation. In addition, alcohol issues became more prominent in the community. However, annual data provided no obvious indication of a decline in the intervention community's consumption rate or alcohol-related problem rates that would distinguish it from the two nonintervention communities. Practical limitations of the study design and intervention are discussed. 20 references, 3 tables, and 5 figures