MIT ENHANCING WATER AFFORDABILITY PROJECT

Which states and cities protect residents from water shutoffs in the COVID-19 pandemic?

TitleWhich states and cities protect residents from water shutoffs in the COVID-19 pandemic?
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsWarner ME, Zhang X, Rivas MGonzález
JournalUtility Policy
Volume67
AbstractMany U.S. states and cities have imposed water disconnection moratoriums during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using logistic and Cox Proportional-Hazards models, we assess factors that differentiate which governments imposed moratoriums. States, which have economic regulation of private water utilities, were more likely to impose moratoriums, and those with higher COVID-19 case rates imposed moratoriums earlier. States with unified Republican Control and cities with more 2016 Trump voters were less likely to impose moratoriums on water disconnection. Cities in states without statewide moratoriums, were more likely to impose moratoriums if they had higher income, more minority residents, and more income inequality.
DOI10.1016/j.jup.2020.101118
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