Impact of Hurricanes on Water Systems: Post-Disaster Recovery Effort in Southeast Texas

Keywords: water security, water systems, infrastructure, disasters, vulnerability
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Monday
Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 7

Abstract

There is an increasing need to evaluate the intersection of water security and disasters, as climate change continues to exacerbate the water infrastructure in the United States. In 2017, Texas was impacted by Hurricane Harvey and was the third year in a row that a 500-year flood event occurred in Texas. This research seeks to understand the vulnerabilities of water systems to disaster events by examining the impact Hurricane Harvey had in southeast Texas. The project created a narrative of the events in Southeast Texas both during and post-Harvey, as well as how the water systems failed, recovered, and rebuilt. Secondary data was collected through the analysis of newspapers of the events surrounding Hurricane Harvey, and primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews with both community organizations and water operators of public water systems, to gain perspective of how water was affected from both an operational and community perspective. The data showcases the role of efficient and easy accessibility to governmental assistance and aid plays in recovery, as well as the distinction in the water operators acting as public servants or private contractors Many private operators experienced significant barriers to funding accessibility, as opposed to public operators, due to lack of support in grant applications as well as responsibility for multiple small drinking water systems. This inequality in funding suggests a possible need to adapt and organize the re-municipalization of water systems, to ensure that funding is accessible equally to water systems.