Assessing Infrastructure and Financial Requirements of Affordable Water and Wastewater Services in Rural U.S. Communities - Spring

Team Members: Felicia Horowitz (Manager), Tamar Aharoni, Samuel Barnes, Aurora Barone, Emily Clark, Jackson Guzé, Nicole Haghpanah, Tianya Liu, Lana Shafransky, Leonard Simon, Shilin Xia

Inadequate wastewater infrastructure poses severe environmental and public health risks for rural communities across the United States, particularly in low-income areas where failing septic systems expose residents to untreated waste. Many households lack access to centralized wastewater treatment, resulting in contaminated soil and water, increased disease risk, and degraded living conditions. A detailed analysis of communities in Alabama, California, and Virginia revealed widespread infrastructure failures driven by aging systems, limited financial resources, and regulatory challenges. These failures disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and highlight systemic inequities in environmental protection.

Addressing these challenges requires coordinated action across technical, financial, and institutional dimensions. Key recommendations include expanding federal and state funding for wastewater infrastructure, improving data collection and monitoring, strengthening regulatory oversight, and supporting innovative treatment technologies suited for rural environments. Enhancing collaboration between government agencies and local communities is essential to ensuring effective implementation and long-term sustainability. By identifying structural barriers and proposing targeted policy solutions, this work provides a roadmap for improving wastewater management and protecting public health in underserved rural areas.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Capstone projects.