Using socio-technical water systems in construction engineering to address water insecurity after Hurricanes Maria and Fiona
Date
2024-08
Authors
Nelson, Toby N. T.
Major Professor
Advisor
Poleacovschi, Cristina
Weems, Carl F.
Rehmann, Chris R.
Ikuma, Kaoru
Mo, Yunjeong Leah
Committee Member
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Abstract
Water insecurity, characterized by insufficient, unreliable, and costly water necessary for a healthy life, is a significant issue in Puerto Rico, particularly affecting rural and low-income areas. The situation is worsened by historical challenges in water management, poor water infrastructure, and the impact of natural disasters like hurricanes, which intensify pre-existing water problems in vulnerable communities. Puerto Rico, an island frequently hit by hurricanes, experienced severe damage from Hurricanes Maria and Fiona in September 2017 and 2022, respectively. The island's financial crisis in recent years has hindered its capacity to invest in and maintain its water systems, leading to frequent disruptions in water supply and issues with water quality, including dangerous levels of lead and bacteria, presenting considerable health risks. Despite the extensive damage caused by hurricanes, recovery efforts have focused more on housing and roads than on water infrastructure, resulting in inadequate attention to water system restoration. The neglect of water infrastructure recovery has significant health, livelihood, and well-being implications worldwide. In Puerto Rico, water insecurity is associated with adverse health effects, including waterborne diseases like diarrhea and cholera, as well as skin conditions and diseases such as leptospirosis. Nevertheless, research is scarce on the specific complexities of water insecurity exacerbated by natural disasters and their impact on mental health and overall well-being in Puerto Rico.
This dissertation presents an in-depth study focused on understanding the post-disaster environment in Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Maria and Fiona, with an emphasis on water insecurity. The proposal is structured into four main chapters, each exploring different aspects of water insecurity. Chapter 2 delves into the gap between knowledge and behavior regarding tap water consumption, posing the question, "Why do Puerto Rican consumers continue to consume tap water despite knowing or believing it to be unsafe?" The methodology involves conducting household surveys (N = 154) from May to July 2022, as well as in-depth interviews (N = 154) in the same period in the municipalities of Loíza, Comerío, and Aguas Buenas. The data collected from these surveys and interviews were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis. The findings identify four distinct groups of individuals based on their trust perceptions and behaviors towards drinking water. Two groups demonstrate alignment between their trust in tap water and their corresponding behavior—either they trust and drink tap water, or they mistrust it and avoid it. The other two groups exhibit a gap or misalignment, showing counterintuitive behavior; they might drink tap water despite mistrust or avoid it despite trust, influenced by socio-economic factors or long-term habits of using tap water without adverse health effects. Additionally, the findings reveal a general mistrust among consumers towards tap water, primarily attributed to its unsatisfactory quality over the past decade, as evidenced by its taste, color, and odor.
Chapter 3 of the dissertation presents the development and initial psychometric evaluation of the Water Quality Perception Scale (WQPS). This chapter addresses a gap identified in the original work by Doria et al. (2009), where the items were treated as individual indicators. It aims to assess whether these items collectively represent a single, unified construct of water quality perception or if they should be considered as separate indicators. The study involved conducting an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on 18 items with a group of 154 respondents. The EFA revealed a primary factor which encompassed 13 of the items. Additionally, two other factors emerged, represented by the remaining 5 items. To further validate the scale, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted with 147 participants. This group included both original participants (n=74), reassessed after six months, and new participants (n=73). The CFA results supported the initial findings, confirming the loadings of the 13-item WQPS on a single factor. The scale exhibited strong internal consistency, as evidenced by Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.91 and 0.89 in the two samples. Moreover, the WQPS showed convergent validity with the Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scale (HWISE), with correlation coefficients of -0.41 and -0.49 in the respective samples.
Chapter 4 investigates the relationship between the combined effect of organoleptic perceptions of tap water and trust in the water utility on drinking water source preference amongst Puerto Rican consumers. The research question is; “How do organoleptic perceptions of drinking water and consumer trust in water utilities jointly affect the choice of drinking water sources in Puerto Rico?”
To answer these, 154 surveys were collected from May 2022 to July 2022 in the municipalities of Loíza, Comerío, and Aguas Buenas. To investigate the associations between organoleptic perceptions of drinking water, trust in Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), and choices of drinking water sources, descriptive statistics and correlations were calculated initially. Logistic regression analyses were then utilized to assess how these variables incrementally predict the choice of drinking water sources. An alpha level of 0.05 was set to determine statistical significance. The results show that the predictive accuracy of preferences for tap versus bottled water sources improves when factors like color perception, odor perception, and trust in the water utility (PRASA) are considered alongside taste perception of tap water. This indicates that taste perception alone is not sufficient to fully understand people's drinking water preferences. Including these additional factors provides a more complete and accurate assessment of why people choose certain drinking water sources.
Finally, chapter 5 of the dissertation focuses on exploring the relationship between different drinking water sources and psychological resilience among older adults in low-income areas of Puerto Rico. Psychological resilience is defined as the ability of individuals to recover from traumatic experiences, such as hurricanes. The research question posed is, "How do tap and alternative drinking water sources, like bottled water and well water, affect the psychological resilience of older adults in these Puerto Rican communities?" The study utilizes survey data collected from 209 respondents during the summer of 2021 in the municipality of Loíza. This data was analyzed using linear regression models to assess the impact of water source choices on psychological resilience. The results suggest that older adults who drink tap water show higher levels of psychological resilience compared to those who consume bottled or well water. A further gender-specific analysis revealed distinct patterns. Among men, there was only a slight difference in psychological resilience based on whether they consumed tap water or not, with a marginal decrease in psychological resilience observed among tap water consumers. In contrast, a significant difference in psychological resilience was found among women, with those drinking tap water exhibiting higher levels of psychological resilience compared to those who did not consume tap water.
This dissertation makes a significant contribution to both academic literature and practical applications by offering a detailed analysis of water insecurity's role in post-disaster recovery in Puerto Rico. The research has several key implications that can guide water utility operators, policymakers, and other stakeholders in enhancing water safety and reliability. Firstly, the dissertation identifies consequences of not providing reliable access to clean piped water in homes. This finding is vital for water utility operators and policymakers, as it calls for immediate action to improve water infrastructure and access, particularly in the aftermath of disasters. Secondly, the dissertation brings to light the knowledge-behavior gap in utility management. This gap has significant implications for both utility companies and consumers. By understanding why there is a disconnect between the functioning of utilities and consumer water consumption patterns, utility companies can devise more effective strategies. These strategies could include a combination of education, incentives, and easily accessible information to empower consumers to make informed decisions and trust in the efficient use of water resources. Thirdly, the research provides insights into the empirical water quality compared to consumers' perceptions of water quality in Puerto Rico. This comparison is crucial for policymakers and local organizations, enabling them to identify and address discrepancies between actual water quality and perceived water quality. Addressing these discrepancies is essential in the ongoing recovery efforts and in improving water quality sustainably. Finally, the dissertation highlights the impact of water insecurity on the mental well-being of Puerto Rican consumers. Understanding the relationship between water insecurity and mental health aspects such as psychological resilience is pivotal. This understanding can guide water utility providers and policymakers in developing focused interventions and strategies aimed at enhancing the mental health of those affected by water insecurity. Overall, the dissertation offers a comprehensive framework for addressing water insecurity in Puerto Rico, with implications that extend beyond immediate recovery efforts to long-term policy and practice improvements in water quality management and mental health support.
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