%A Jennifer Lea
%T A water auditing program in the Brightmoor and Rosedale areas of Detroit, Michigan
%X Thousands of low-income residents of Detroit are unable to afford their water bills and consequently have had their water shut-off.  Lack of access to water in households threatens the health and safety of residents and their ability to remain in their homes, an issue of public health importance.  Moreover, many residents lose money due to water loss from leaking faucets, pipes and toilets.  Current strategies to reduce shutoffs in these communities are insufficient.  The purpose of my thesis is to outline a water audit program that will identify sources of leaking water within residencies located in two diverse neighborhoods of Detroit, Brightmoor and Rosedale, and to assess these communities? need for a water auditing program and the context within which the program will operate.  Data collected from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department indicated that 835 homes of 13,682 within Brightmoor and Rosedale had their water shutoff in 2013.  Data on the age and condition of homes in Brightmoor and Rosedale underscored the need to investigate and remediate leaks within resident?s homes.  Local organizations were contacted and interviewed to explore factors that may enhance or hinder the operation of this program in Detroit. A community water auditing program to reduce the number of shutoffs would be an appropriate step to reduce water consumption and as a result lower the amount paid in monthly water bills among a disadvantaged population, and would secondarily serve as a means for building community capacity and a sense of collective efficacy.
%D 2014
%K Water audit, water shutoffs, Detroit
%I University of Pittsburgh
%L pittir21115