Water Contamination, Notions of Wellbeing, and Community: A Case Study in University Park

This research explores the effects of water lead contamination on everyday lived experiences in University Park, a town in the South Suburbs of Chicago. The project began as a class assignment for Qualitative Research Methods class in Anthropology & Sociology Program and grew into a qualitative examination of the effects of the water crisis that began with a “do not consumer” advisory in 2019. Through qualitative research methods—open-ended interview and observations—we examine the lingering effects of lead contamination on daily life, notions of wellbeing, and community relations. We ask: how have residents mitigated the damaging effects of water contamination on their everyday life? How do they understand uncertainty and in what ways have community networks been strengthened? Ultimately, this project sheds light on how community members respond to and move forward in light of environmental, racial, and class injustice.