Living in Utility Scarcity: Energy and Water Insecurity in Northwest Alaska

Abstract

This study explored the links between energy and water insecurity in rural Iñupiaq Eskimo villages in Alaska's Northwest Arctic Borough. High energy costs and the need for fuel-based transportation are 2 significant factors in domestic water access for these communities. Dramatic increases in the costs of energy have led to decreased domestic water access, with adverse effects on household hygiene practices. I traced the ways in which the high costs of energy determine water consumption from production to household acquisition and use. Improving sanitation and access to domestic water requires considering the water-energy nexus: the amount and cost of energy required to treat and distribute water as well as manage waste. I use the term utility scarcity to underscore the relationship between domestic water, energy, and health.

Food, Water, and Scarcity

“…The historic and ethnographic literature indicates that water-insecure households use a range of techniques to modify their water consumption. Initially, they cut back on water-intensive cleaning tasks (Chewings 1936;Eichelberger 2010;Gleick 1996;Hadley and Wutich 2009;Silberbauer 1981). When drinking water is scarce, people delay dehydration onset by "priming the body" or drinking large amounts less frequently (Adolph 1947;Marshall 1976).…”

Sustainability and the politics of calculation: technologies of 'safe water,' subject-making, and domination

“…Daily water consumption averaged 2.4 gallons (11 litres) per person day in 2009 (Eichelberger 2010), far below the 13.2 gallons (60 litres) per person standard suggested by the World Health organization (Howard and Bartram 2003). Among the primary factors that determine household water consumption are: access to a vehicle, the ability to purchase gasoline, the availability of male kin to haul the water, and water storage capacity.…”

“…Sled dogs have been replaced by snowmobiles, kayaks with motorboats, and whale-or seal oil lamps with electric lights. Household bills, including as much as $250 per month for water and sanitation services (Eichelberger 2010), have contributed to this decline in sharing. Yet in times of scarcity, those with extended kin networks are able to benefit from the continued…”

“…19, 2012 147 value placed on sharing. This is evident in the experiences of households that suddenly find themselves water insecure and must rely on kin to access limited amounts of water (Eichelberger 2010). …”

“…Among the primary factors that determine household water consumption are: access to a vehicle, the ability to purchase gasoline, the availability of male kin to haul the water, and water storage capacity. This average consumption also varies seasonally as weather and environmental factors such as flooding can affect a household's access to water (Eichelberger 2010).…”