A Tale of Two Communities: Adopting and Paying for an In-Home Non-Potable Water Reuse System in Rural Alaska

Several rural communities in Alaska lack piped water and sewer services (unserved), leading to residents self-hauling drinking water and manually disposing of waste. Being time and labor intensive, these practices result in extremely low household water use and detrimental health impacts, leading to wash disease rates that are higher than those of communities with piped water and sewer systems. This study reports on results from community meetings and surveys held in two unserved rural Alaska communities to evaluate perceptions of water reuse and the willingness to pay for an in-home water reuse system to identify possible price points they are willing to accept. The survey was designed to iteratively understand which water fixtures households desired and at what cost. Survey results showed that in-home water/sewer infrastructure may cost more than community members are willing or able to pay. There are also regional differences in acceptable costs and preferences for specific water fixtures. The results also suggest myriad local factors that may impact acceptance, desire, and willingness to pay for in-home water reuse. Overall, this work highlights the importance of community input and engagement as well as assessment of community needs and readiness while developing technological solutions for rural communities in Alaska and beyond.

Automated summary

This study examines community perceptions of water reuse and willingness to pay for in-home water reuse systems in two unserved rural Alaska communities. The survey results suggest that the cost of in-home water/sewer infrastructure may exceed what community members are willing or able to pay, with regional differences in acceptable costs and preferences for specific water fixtures.