A majority of homes in the United States (US) receive household water services via complete in-home plumbing. Observers tend to assume that in the US, there is an upward trend in plumbing access; yet in some Alaska communities, the rate is in fact a downward trend. This study seeks to identify, while considering the spatiotemporal variations in the region, the sociodemographic parameters that are correlated with the rates of in-home plumbing in Alaska communities. Equipped with American Community Survey data from 2011 to 2015, we employed a fixed-effects regression analysis. Our findings show that, concerning complete in-home plumbing, there was a statistically significant decrease in close to a quarter (23%) of census-designated places in Alaska. Access to complete plumbing is correlated to multiple sociodemographic characteristics, including the percentage of households that (1) receive social security, (2) are valued under $150,000, and (3) are renter-occupied units paying for one or more utilities. Our results help decision-makers efficiently allocate government funds by showing where service is deteriorating as well as the potential predictors of such decline. Our study reveals the pressing need to invest in not only new water systems but also maintenance, operations, and capital improvements.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.