Access to clean, reliable water services is not a guarantee for all U.S. communities. The challenges related to such service failures have inequitable impacts on low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. How equity is defined and operationalized in water-sector infrastructure is inconsistent across the literature and in practice. This inconsistency can make it challenging to hold utilities accountable for unequal distributions of burden (e.g., lack of affordability and poor water quality). As such, this study seeks (1) to determine how equity is currently defined and used in the water sector, (2) to develop a definition that can be used to incorporate equity into water-sector infrastructure, and (3) to understand attitudes toward equity of water-sector professionals. We conduct a qualitative analysis of relevant media articles, survey responses, and semi-structured interviews with water-sector professionals. We propose a definition of equity in water that is informed by the results of this analysis. Categories emerge that can be leveraged to create vertical equity solutions, such as addressing intermittent supply and water-quality issues in vulnerable communities. The definition may be used to operationalize, metricize, and benchmark equitable water policy and practices at all levels of decision making (e.g., federal, state, and local) to ensure an equitable water future.

中文翻译：

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实现水基础设施服务中的公平运营：制定水公平的定义

获得清洁、可靠的供水服务并不是所有美国社区的保证。与此类服务失败相关的挑战对低收入社区和有色人种社区产生了不公平的影响。在水部门基础设施中如何定义和实施公平在文献和实践中是不一致的。这种不一致使得让公用事业公司对负担的不平等分配（例如，缺乏负担能力和水质差）负责变得具有挑战性。因此，本研究旨在 (1) 确定目前水部门如何定义和使用公平，(2) 制定可用于将公平纳入水部门基础设施的定义，以及 (3) 了解态度水行业专业人员的公平性。我们对相关媒体文章进行定性分析，调查答复，以及与水行业专业人士的半结构化访谈。我们根据该分析的结果提出了水资源公平的定义。出现了可用于创建垂直公平解决方案的类别，例如解决脆弱社区的间歇性供应和水质问题。该定义可用于在各级决策（例如，联邦、州和地方）中实施、衡量和衡量公平水政策和实践，以确保公平的水未来。例如解决脆弱社区的间歇性供应和水质问题。该定义可用于在各级决策（例如，联邦、州和地方）中实施、衡量和衡量公平水政策和实践，以确保公平的水未来。例如解决脆弱社区的间歇性供应和水质问题。该定义可用于在各级决策（例如，联邦、州和地方）中实施、衡量和衡量公平水政策和实践，以确保公平的水未来。