505
2. Dynamic system accommodation—Urban FEW systems are dynamic given
geospatial/temporal variances, human population shifts, cultural diversity,
social/economic development, and dependencies beyond the urban context.
Therefore, comprehensive strategies that capture these dynamics and enable corresponding accommodation are imperative. For example, GIS-based analysis
and predictive modeling in FEW system design and management that considers
interactions between urban and rural systems would be necessary.
3. Efficiency and sustainability planning—In addition to the availability, safety,
and affordability focus of the FEW nexus, two other important considerations
are efficiency and sustainability. Urban FEW systems have to be operated
efficiently to improve overall sustainability. For this purpose, life cycle assessment and other metrics are necessary planning tools.
18.4 Integrated FEW Crises Due to Poverty and Exclusion
To illustrate the challenge of providing effective governance of the complex systems
at the FEW Nexus, the causes and effects of the public drinking water crisis that
occurred in Flint, MI, starting in 2014 will likely continue to be analyzed for many
years. When the State of Michigan took over the administration of the city via an
appointed emergency financial administrator (policy heavy),
2
a change in the source
of drinking water from Lake Huron to the corrosive Flint River was initiated as a
cost-saving measure (the affordability criterion). The high cost of energy to pump
drinking water over 60 miles from Lake Huron to the City’s distribution system
(heavy infrastructure) was a factor in these decisions. The change was implemented
despite warnings from the supervisor in the City’s water treatment facility to the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and from leadership in the
Governor’s Office that the timeframe and safeguards for the switch were inadequate
to protect public health (the criticality criterion).
Due to a variety of chemical, engineering, and operational issues, the water from
the corrosive new water source leached lead from the water pipes into the drinking
water in homes, schools, and businesses, causing high blood lead levels in the population, particularly among children. The change also increased bacterial counts in
water, leading to a Legionnaire’s disease outbreak. These crisis conditions contributed to impaired public health as they made food preparation, at-home food gardening, and personal hygiene extremely challenging for many households. Subsequently,
high lead levels in publicly supplied water have been found in over 100 US cities,
illustrating the potential for this issue to affect public health more broadly (heavy
footprint).
2 Implemented under the provisions of Michigan Public Act 4 of 2011 (since replaced by 436 of
2012); see also the previous Public Act 72 of 1990 for another emergency financial management
policy.
18 Cities at the Nexus
2. Dynamic system accommodation—Urban FEW systems are dynamic given
geospatial/temporal variances, human population shifts, cultural diversity,
social/economic development, and dependencies beyond the urban context.
Therefore, comprehensive strategies that capture these dynamics and enable corresponding accommodation are imperative. For example, GIS-based analysis
and predictive modeling in FEW system design and management that considers
interactions between urban and rural systems would be necessary.
3. Efficiency and sustainability planning—In addition to the availability, safety,
and affordability focus of the FEW nexus, two other important considerations
are efficiency and sustainability. Urban FEW systems have to be operated
efficiently to improve overall sustainability. For this purpose, life cycle assessment and other metrics are necessary planning tools.
18.4 Integrated FEW Crises Due to Poverty and Exclusion
To illustrate the challenge of providing effective governance of the complex systems
at the FEW Nexus, the causes and effects of the public drinking water crisis that
occurred in Flint, MI, starting in 2014 will likely continue to be analyzed for many
years. When the State of Michigan took over the administration of the city via an
appointed emergency financial administrator (policy heavy),
2
a change in the source
of drinking water from Lake Huron to the corrosive Flint River was initiated as a
cost-saving measure (the affordability criterion). The high cost of energy to pump
drinking water over 60 miles from Lake Huron to the City’s distribution system
(heavy infrastructure) was a factor in these decisions. The change was implemented
despite warnings from the supervisor in the City’s water treatment facility to the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and from leadership in the
Governor’s Office that the timeframe and safeguards for the switch were inadequate
to protect public health (the criticality criterion).
Due to a variety of chemical, engineering, and operational issues, the water from
the corrosive new water source leached lead from the water pipes into the drinking
water in homes, schools, and businesses, causing high blood lead levels in the population, particularly among children. The change also increased bacterial counts in
water, leading to a Legionnaire’s disease outbreak. These crisis conditions contributed to impaired public health as they made food preparation, at-home food gardening, and personal hygiene extremely challenging for many households. Subsequently,
high lead levels in publicly supplied water have been found in over 100 US cities,
illustrating the potential for this issue to affect public health more broadly (heavy
footprint).
2 Implemented under the provisions of Michigan Public Act 4 of 2011 (since replaced by 436 of
2012); see also the previous Public Act 72 of 1990 for another emergency financial management
policy.
18 Cities at the Nexus