Water Governance in the Wake of Disasters: Implications for Resilience, Security, and Environmental Justice

When a disaster strikes, water supply systems can get impacted and amplify water security risk. This study examines community water governance after Hurricane María in Puerto Rico. We draw from the experience of 12 community-managed aqueducts and 36 interviews with community aqueduct managers, nonprofit organizations, and state actors. Our findings highlight the role of the social dimensions of community water governance in alleviating the technical and economic challenges aqueducts faced after Hurricane María. Specifically, social capital, human capital, aqueduct ownership, and community participation played a significant role in restoring drinking water supply across all aqueducts. Highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by community-managed aqueducts, we emphasize the future of water security and resilience. Our research contributes to the literature on environmental and water justice, focusing on community-managed water governance systems. Many disasters impact water supply systems, affecting distribution methods, thereby providing valuable insights for disaster risk reduction. The results emphasize challenges with intergenerational knowledge transfers and the need for investment in physical and social infrastructures to enhance community-led governance for water security.