FOCUS
Laura is passionate about improving the lives of those who lack access to clean water due to affordability or physical infrastructure. Water systems in the United States are reflective of the built environment. There are more than 50,000 community water systems, and half of those serve 500 people or fewer. Fragmentation of these systems prevents water utilities from being effective and efficient, leaving many without access to safe public drinking water. This directly impacts low-income black and Hispanic communities. Laura focuses on system size and relationships to compliance with regulatory protections. Her research explores how the consolidation of small water systems can be beneficial to increasing overall water security and integrated water resource management.
MORE ABOUT LAURA
Laura’s professional background in consulting for water utilities as well as time spent working in the United Kingdom for a water utility provider equips her with the knowledge to understand organizational barriers. In addition, her current position at the Institute for Research on Poverty provides her with deeper insight into addressing systemic poverty.
DISSERTATION GRANT AWARDEE — SUMMER 2024
Beyond the Tap: Water, Citizenship, and the Reimagining of American Democracy
This study delves into the paradox of water poverty persisting alongside technological advancement in the United States. By bridging democratic theory with empirical analysis, it investigates how historical political boundaries shape contemporary manifestations of inequitable access to drinking water. The proposed concept of ‘bounded citizenship’ challenges democratic principles, prompting critical reflections on resource allocation, infrastructure decisions, and the future of equitable water governance in America.
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