Justice and injustice in “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems

Anais Delilah Roque; Amber Wutich; Sameer H. Shah; Cassandra L. Workman; Linda E. Méndez-Barrientos; Yasmina Choueiri; Lucas Belury; Charlayne Mitchell

doi:10.1016/j.wasec.2023.100151

Justice and injustice in “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems

Anais Delilah Roque^*, Amber Wutich, Sameer H. Shah, Cassandra L. Workman, Linda E. Méndez-Barrientos, Yasmina Choueiri, Lucas Belury, Charlayne Mitchell

^*Corresponding author for this work

Global Health Studies Program

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Centralized water infrastructure is challenged by climate change, infrastructure degradation, underinvestment, and shifting water demands. In its place, scholars have argued for “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems. We critically interrogate the environmental injustices that produce, and may be reproduced through, MAD water systems. We focus on two key dynamics by which MAD systems emerge: “shoving-out” of, and “opting-out” from, centralized water systems. Using a justice-based framework, we synthesize three cases from Texas, California, and North Carolina, each illustrating how racial and socio-economic marginalization produce MAD water systems. We argue that identifying the structural and relational forces that drive “shove-out” and “opt-out” dynamics remains key for theorizing the enactment of MAD water systems.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	100151
Journal	Water Security
Volume	20
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasec.2023.100151
State	Published - Dec 2023

Funding

This research was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation under awards NSF GCR-2021147, NSF EEC 1449500, NSF BCS-1759972; the University of Waterloo (TD Walter Bean Professorship); the JPB Foundation; and JobsOhio (SFPN_2020_486365-NAR). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the funders.

Keywords

Environmental justice
MAD (Modular, Adaptive, and Decentralized) water
Poverty
Race
Water justice

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Oceanography
Water Science and Technology
Waste Management and Disposal
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.wasec.2023.100151

Cite this

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title = "Justice and injustice in “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems",

abstract = "Centralized water infrastructure is challenged by climate change, infrastructure degradation, underinvestment, and shifting water demands. In its place, scholars have argued for “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems. We critically interrogate the environmental injustices that produce, and may be reproduced through, MAD water systems. We focus on two key dynamics by which MAD systems emerge: “shoving-out” of, and “opting-out” from, centralized water systems. Using a justice-based framework, we synthesize three cases from Texas, California, and North Carolina, each illustrating how racial and socio-economic marginalization produce MAD water systems. We argue that identifying the structural and relational forces that drive “shove-out” and “opt-out” dynamics remains key for theorizing the enactment of MAD water systems.",

keywords = "Environmental justice, MAD (Modular, Adaptive, and Decentralized) water, Poverty, Race, Water justice",

author = "Roque, {Anais Delilah} and Amber Wutich and Shah, {Sameer H.} and Workman, {Cassandra L.} and M{\'e}ndez-Barrientos, {Linda E.} and Yasmina Choueiri and Lucas Belury and Charlayne Mitchell",

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year = "2023",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.wasec.2023.100151",

language = "English (US)",

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journal = "Water Security",

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T1 - Justice and injustice in “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems

AU - Roque, Anais Delilah

AU - Wutich, Amber

AU - Shah, Sameer H.

AU - Workman, Cassandra L.

AU - Méndez-Barrientos, Linda E.

AU - Choueiri, Yasmina

AU - Belury, Lucas

AU - Mitchell, Charlayne

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - Centralized water infrastructure is challenged by climate change, infrastructure degradation, underinvestment, and shifting water demands. In its place, scholars have argued for “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems. We critically interrogate the environmental injustices that produce, and may be reproduced through, MAD water systems. We focus on two key dynamics by which MAD systems emerge: “shoving-out” of, and “opting-out” from, centralized water systems. Using a justice-based framework, we synthesize three cases from Texas, California, and North Carolina, each illustrating how racial and socio-economic marginalization produce MAD water systems. We argue that identifying the structural and relational forces that drive “shove-out” and “opt-out” dynamics remains key for theorizing the enactment of MAD water systems.

AB - Centralized water infrastructure is challenged by climate change, infrastructure degradation, underinvestment, and shifting water demands. In its place, scholars have argued for “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems. We critically interrogate the environmental injustices that produce, and may be reproduced through, MAD water systems. We focus on two key dynamics by which MAD systems emerge: “shoving-out” of, and “opting-out” from, centralized water systems. Using a justice-based framework, we synthesize three cases from Texas, California, and North Carolina, each illustrating how racial and socio-economic marginalization produce MAD water systems. We argue that identifying the structural and relational forces that drive “shove-out” and “opt-out” dynamics remains key for theorizing the enactment of MAD water systems.

KW - Environmental justice

KW - MAD (Modular, Adaptive, and Decentralized) water

KW - Poverty

KW - Race

KW - Water justice

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U2 - 10.1016/j.wasec.2023.100151

DO - 10.1016/j.wasec.2023.100151

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VL - 20

JO - Water Security

JF - Water Security

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ER -

Justice and injustice in “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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