| dc.description.abstract | The majority of water systems in the United States consist of small water systems and are most often seen in rural areas. Yet the greater Houston area is disproportionately served by over 350 small systems, an unusually high number for the nation’s fifth largest metropolitan area. Prior to this exploratory research, it was unknown why water provisioning in this area is so fragmented, considering other cities of similar size are served by much larger systems. In addition, very little is known about which populations are served by these small water systems and why they have such a prominent role in the Houston area’s urban water provisioning.
This study utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods to determine the characteristics of Houston’s small water systems to discover their role and capacity and evaluate how this unusual water provisioning system affects its ability to serve the population. First, the project used questionnaires and semi-structured interviews of system managers to determine the characteristics of Houston’s small water systems (e.g. ownership type, technology usage, expertise in water provision, pricing, emergency preparedness). Second, the project described the environmental performance level and demographic characteristics of communities served by these systems. Last, this research determined if any populations or communities are disproportionately served by these systems and if they are safe and economically sustainable.
Qualitative findings indicate that small water systems struggle to provide service at the same level as larger systems. Quantitative findings were inconclusive, but suggest some populations may be disproportionately served. I argue that this overabundance of small systems demonstrates a reliance on neoliberal policymaking that results in overall poorer outcomes for the disproportionately large population served by inadequate small systems. Improvements in reporting methods will be necessary for future research to determine the level at which populations are affected though. | en |
