Summary

Installed sanitation infrastructure has a high failure rate - it often goes unused and/or unrepaired in communities. This research seeks to understand how we can improve sustainability of household wastewater infrastructure through improved operation and maintenance. The research identified important factors required for sustainable operation and maintenance via a Delphi panel and case studies. This information was then analyzed using msQCA to determine the necessary and sufficient factors (or combination of factors) that lead to successful or unsuccessful operation and maintenance. The second phase of the research sought to understand how resident knowledge impacts sustainable operation and maintenance of household waste water infrastructure. This project tracked how information reaches and is shared by households.

Funding

  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship 

  • Mortenson Center for Engineering for Developing Communities Graduate Research Assistantship 

  • College of Engineering and Applied Science Dean’s Graduate Assistantship 

  • Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Doctoral Assistantship