No abstract

Michigan's complicated history with drinking water quality and, to a lesser extent, affordability is well chronicled, most prominently during the Flint water crisis. Recognizing there are likely other communities with water concerns, the researchers set out to understand the water quality and affordability concerns of Michigan's residents. Benton Harbor, a city of about 10,000 residents in southwestern Michigan, was chosen as the case city as it has a similar socioeconomic background to Flint. In order to ascertain the opinions and perceptions of the Benton Harbor residents, a survey was developed around issues relating to water quality, affordability, and communication of information. A convenience sample was used (N = 104) and represented approximately 1% of the city population. As a follow-up to the survey, two focus groups (N = 9) were conducted to examine specific issues with greater depth, including bottled water use, affordability, and preferred information sources. From the survey analysis and focus group discussions, five themes were identified to describe the common concerns of Benton Harbor residents and the issues that arose within the water system. These themes focused on the residents' concern about the municipal water quality, bottled water consumption, utility costs, knowledge gaps, and the level of trust for various information sources. Based on these themes and the experiences gained from interacting with the Benton Harbor community, three recommendations aimed at the water utility and the city government are provided to encourage citizen engagement, increase trust, and generate useful data.