Statistical analysis of public perceptions of water infrastructure sustainability in shrinking cities

Population contraction has afflicted a number of U.S. cities, presenting problems as the infrastructure becomes overbuilt for shrinking populations. Civic authorities have options to make infrastructure sustainable in light of urban decline including decommissioning or raising service costs to sustain existing infrastructure. This paper conducts a survey and statistical analysis of public opinions towards water infrastructure decommissioning and raising costs in U.S. shrinking cities, to identify groups likely to oppose these alternatives and hamper sustainability efforts. The analysis found a range of socio-economic factors affecting residents' likelihood of opposition and that their impacts vary considerably across the population. One critical finding is that only approximately 50% of respondents are aware their city is shrinking and that these residents have significantly different views on sustainability options. The statistical findings provide important initial information on how residents are likely to respond to policies seeking to right-size infrastructure with regard to population.