Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Management in Shrinking Cities

Abstract

Population decline in once vibrant cities has introduced challenges to managing civil infrastructure. These challenges, such as fiscal constraints, reduced personnel, and increasing regulatory standards, are identified in this article in the context of water and wastewater infrastructures when cities do not follow a trajectory of growth. Following the discussion surrounding consequential issues arising from urban decline, retooling alternatives to mitigate challenges are explored. The study uses a mixed method approach, incorporating qualitative analyses of data collected from 4 U.S. shrinking cities, subject matter expert interviews, and statistical analyses of survey data from residents of 21 U.S. shrinking cities. Our analysis indicates that more than 70% of residents are willing to pay increased rates for improved services that may be accomplished through implementing retooling alternatives. Statistical modeling is used to identify the demographic variables that increase an individual’s propensity toward implementing five alternatives, revealing city-specify variations in support for different alternatives.