Implications of Social Distancing Policies on Drinking Water Infrastructure: An Overview of the Challenges to and Responses of U.S. Utilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Implications of Social Distancing Policies on Drinking Water Infrastructure: An Overview of the Challenges to and Responses of U.S. Utilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic
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社交距离政策对饮用水基础设施的影响：COVID-19 大流行期间美国公用事业公司面临的挑战和应对措施概述
DOI：
10.1021/acsestwater.0c00229
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发表时间：
2021
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Faust, Kasey M.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Spearing, Lauryn A.;Thelemaque, Nathalie;Kaminsky, Jessica A.;Katz, Lynn E.;Kinney, Kerry A.;Kirisits, Mary Jo;Sela, Lina;Faust, Kasey M.
美国各地为应对COVID-19而实施的社交距离政策（SDP）导致饮用水需求的时空变化，并为水务公司带来了社会技术挑战。在这一独特时期，许多供水公司被迫在设计条件之外运营，劳动力和财政能力减少。很少有研究调查水务公司如何应对大流行病;这些方法甚至没有出现在许多应急响应计划中。在此，我们记录了公用事业如何受到COVID-19疫情的影响。我们对来自美国28个水务公司的53名从业者进行了30次采访，进行了定性分析。我们的目标是，首先，了解公用事业所面临的挑战和运营的变化（例如，需求和赤字账户），第二，记录公用事业公司的反应。结果表明，为了保持服务的连续性和实施SDPs，公用事业必须克服各种挑战。这些挑战包括供应链问题、需求的时空变化和财务损失，这些挑战在很大程度上取决于所服务的客户类型（例如，商业或住宅）。公用事业公司的应对措施包括主动订购额外供应和推迟资本项目。虽然公用事业的调整确保了供水服务的立即提供，但它们的反应可能在未来产生负面影响（例如，导致基础设施老化的延迟项目）。
Social distancing policies (SDPs) implemented throughout the United States in response to COVID-19 have led to spatial and temporal shifts in drinking water demand and, for water utilities, created sociotechnical challenges. During this unique period, many water utilities have been forced to operate outside of design conditions with reduced workforce and financial capacities. Few studies have examined how water utilities respond to a pandemic; such methods are even absent from many emergency response plans. Here, we documented how utilities have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a qualitative analysis of 30 interviews with 53 practitioners spanning 28 U.S. water utilities. Our aim was to, first, understand the challenges experienced by utilities and changes to operations (e.g., demand and deficit accounts) and, second, to document utilities’ responses. Results showed that to maintain service continuity and implement SDPs, utilities had to overcome various challenges. These include supply chain issues, spatiotemporal changes in demand, and financial losses, and these challenges were largely dependent on the type of customers served (e.g., commercial or residential). Examples of utilities’ responses include proactively ordering extra supplies and postponing capital projects. Although utilities’ adaptations ensured the immediate provision of water services, their responses might have negative repercussions in the future (e.g., delayed projects contributing to aging infrastructure).