Characterizing the nature and extent of access to unsafely managed sanitation in the United States

Maxcy-Brown, Jillian; Capone, Drew; Elliott, Mark A.

doi:10.1038/s44221-023-00157-7

Nat Water

2023

DOI: 10.1038/s44221-023-00157-7

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Characterizing the nature and extent of access to unsafely managed sanitation in the United States

Jillian Maxcy-Brown,

Drew Capone,

Mark A. Elliott

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2024

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Cited by 6 publications

References 58 publications

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Sustainable Development in Rural Underserved Communities through Improved Responsible Management of Decentralized Wastewater Infrastructure: A Focus on the Alabama Black Belt

Bakchan,

White

2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Despite global efforts on meeting sustainable development goals by 2030, persistent and widespread sanitation deficits in rural, underserved communities in high-income countriesincluding the United States (US)challenge achieving this target. The recent US federal infrastructure funding, coupled with research efforts to explore innovative, alternative decentralized wastewater systems, are unprecedented opportunities for addressing basic sanitation gaps in these communities. Yet, understanding how to best manage these systems for sustainable operations and maintenance (O&M) is still a national need. Here, we develop an integrated management approach for achieving such sustainable systems, taking into account the utility structure, operational aspects, and possible barriers impeding effective management of decentralized wastewater infrastructure. We demonstrate this approach through a binomial logistic regression of survey responses from 114 public and private management entities (e.g., water and sewer utilities) operating in 27 states in the US, targeting the rural Alabama Black Belt wastewater issues. Our assessment introduces policy areas that support sustainable decentralized wastewater systems management and operations, including privatizing water-wastewater infrastructure systems, incentivizing/mandating the consolidation of utility management of these systems, federally funding the O&M, and developing and retaining water-wastewater workforce in rural, underserved communities. Our discussions give rise to a holistic empirical understanding of effective management of decentralized wastewater infrastructure for rural, underserved communities in the US, thereby contributing to global conversations on sustainable development.

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Sustainable Development in Rural Underserved Communities through Improved Responsible Management of Decentralized Wastewater Infrastructure: A Focus on the Alabama Black Belt

Bakchan,

White

2024

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Water and wastewater infrastructure inequity in unincorporated communities

Allaire,

Brusco,

Bakchan

et al. 2024

npj Clean Water

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Urban inequality, the housing crisis and deteriorating water access in US cities

Meehan,

Jurjevich,

Everitt

et al. 2024

Nat Cities

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The housing unaffordability and cost-of-living crisis is affecting millions of people in US cities, yet the implications for urban dwellers’ well-being and social reproduction remain less clear. This Article presents a longitudinal analysis of household access to running water—a vital component of social infrastructure—in the 50 largest US cities since 1970. The results indicate that water access has worsened in an increasing number and typology of US cities since the 2008 global financial crash, disproportionately affecting households of color in 12 of the 15 largest cities. We provide evidence to suggest that a ‘reproductive squeeze’—systemic, compounding pressures on households’ capacity to reproduce themselves on a daily and societal basis—is forcing urban households into more precarious living arrangements, including housing without running water. We analyze the case study of Portland (Oregon) to illustrate the racialized nature of the reproductive squeeze under a housing crisis. Our insights reveal that plumbing poverty—a lack of household running water—is expanding in scope and severity to a broader array of US cities, raising doubts about equitable progress towards Sustainable Development Goals for clean water and sanitation for all (SDG 6) and sustainable cities (SDG 11) in an increasingly urbanized United States.

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Characterizing the nature and extent of access to unsafely managed sanitation in the United States

Cited by 6 publications

References 58 publications

Sustainable Development in Rural Underserved Communities through Improved Responsible Management of Decentralized Wastewater Infrastructure: A Focus on the Alabama Black Belt

Sustainable Development in Rural Underserved Communities through Improved Responsible Management of Decentralized Wastewater Infrastructure: A Focus on the Alabama Black Belt

Water and wastewater infrastructure inequity in unincorporated communities

Urban inequality, the housing crisis and deteriorating water access in US cities

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