Wendy Jepson

California's efforts to advance the Human Right to Water are constrained by limited household‐level data on water insecurity. Using the 2021 CalSpeaks statewide probability survey ( n = 628) this study offers the first representative look at water insecurity across California households. Results reveal significant water‐related struggles: approximately 23% of respondents worried about having enough water to meet their household needs, 15% worried about perceived health impacts from water quality, and 7% struggled with affordability. Negative binomial regression models show that water insecurity is not randomly distributed: households with non‐white residents, households which rely on private or small water companies for water service or receive public assistance experience disproportionately higher water insecurity. Sensitivity analyses indicate that some predictors—such as household size and employment—are more strongly associated with frequent water insecurity experiences, underscoring the need for multidimensional monitoring. These findings highlight that system‐level compliance metrics substantially underestimate household‐level challenges and reinforce the need for policies that address affordability, quality, accessibility, worry, and trust to achieve California's Human Right to Water.

Mobility and migration are perhaps humans’ oldest strategies for coping with socioenvironmental change, particularly when confronted with water insecurity (Black, Bennett et al., 2011; Venkataraman...

Background: New metrics of household water insecurity have been validated for low- to middle-income countries, but it is unclear how these measurements apply to the experiences of people living in high-income countries. This project aims to develop and validate a novel metric for household water insecurity experiences in the United States (HWISE-USA) using a cross-sectional design and data from the Southwest, Midwest, and Western regions. Methods: We outline the protocol for the development and validation of a novel household water insecurity scale for the United States to address this scientific need, including the following key steps: (1) item development through literature and theory; (2) pre-testing of items and expert review; (3) scale development and item reduction; and (4) scale validation. To assess the performance of the HWISE-USA scale, we will follow the same scale development analytics on a separate, quasi-nationally-representative U.S. sample. The scale will be generated from household survey data collected from communities at risk of water insecurity throughout the United States. Discussion: We explain how a novel metric of water insecurity experiences for households in the United States has important implications for resource allocation, structural interventions, public health and infrastructure planning, and reductions in inequalities. Registration: osf.io/zvqs4

Multiple‐use water services (MUS) encompass a variety of water services that span the various livelihood strategies commonly seen in communities throughout low‐ and middle‐income countries. MUS approaches can secure water for development, but limited peer‐reviewed research comprehensively evaluates MUS. This review addresses a gap in the literature by tracing MUS as an international development strategy and evaluating the peer‐reviewed scholarship published between 1990 and 2023 to describe the status and trends. The review identifies MUS attributes (e.g., water productivity, economics, health and nutrition, and gender empowerment) and the persistent barriers to scaling and institutionalization (e.g., regulatory and governance barriers and water quality). It then concludes with gaps in research (e.g., private sector roles and business models, ability to pay, ecosystem services, and climate resilience). MUS has the potential to be implemented tactically to address the nexus of water, food, nutrition, and water quality challenges, if research can contribute to evidence for scalable solutions that sufficiently address local needs.

An increasing number of studies find that water sharing—the non-market transfer of privately held water between households—is a ubiquitous informal practice around the world and a primary way that households respond to water insecurity. Yet, a key question about household water sharing remains: is water sharing a viable path that can help advance household water security? Or should water sharing be understood as a symptom of water insecurity in wait for more formalized solutions? Here, we address this question by applying Sen’s entitlement framework in an integrative review of empirical scholarship on household water sharing. Our review shows that when interhousehold water sharing is governed by established and well-functioning norms it can serve as a reliable transfer entitlement that bolsters household water security. However, when water sharing occurs outside of established norms (triggered by broader entitlement failures) it is often associated with significant emotional distress that may exacerbate conditions of water insecurity. These findings suggest that stable, norm-based water sharing arrangements may offer a viable, adaptive solution to households facing water insecurity. Nevertheless, more scholarship is needed to better understand when and how norm-based water transfer entitlements fail, the capacity of water sharing practices to evolve into lasting normative entitlements, and the impact of interhousehold water sharing on intrahousehold water security.

Household water insecurity refers to difficulties accessing water of sufficient quality and quantity to maintain human well-being. Although this fundamental right is a premise for survival, it is not always guaranteed. This article aims to verify whether there is a correlation between household water insecurity and social vulnerability in the semi-arid region of Ceará. For this purpose, the "Household Water Insecurity Experiences – HWISE" protocol was applied to households to investigate the various problems related to water and household water supply problems. Statistical exploratory data analysis techniques were used through factor analysis, clusters, and spatial correlation to verify the spatial relationship between water insecurity and social vulnerability. The main results show that although there is a situation of household water insecurity, its connection with social vulnerability is more pronounced in urban areas. In rural areas, where vulnerability is higher, the presence of multiple water supply sources such as cisterns and water tankers conveys a higher sense of water security to the population, both in terms of access and availability of water for household consumption. Based on the achieved results, it is evident that household water insecurity requires the consideration of a wide range of factors, and its assessment cannot be accomplished solely through the use of a synthetic indicator of social vulnerability.