A changing climate, aging infrastructure and lack of sustained investment have resulted in stress on Oregon’s water systems, with communities of color disproportionately affected, according to a recent report by the Oregon Water Futures Project.
“As a technology, water was harnessed, channeled both for domestic use and for industrial shipping lanes,” observed Emily Lawhead, a PhD student in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture (HAA). “Water also seeped its way into Edo mythology, where it emerged as ominous ghost-monsters and as a productive safety barrier between Japan and foreign realms.”
Quantitative modeling by University of Oregon environmental economist predicts strong skeptics are unlikely to change their beliefs, even in the face of mounting evidence
The report says climate change, aging infrastructure and lack of investment in clean water have put extra stress on communities of color, especially those living in rural and low-income communities.
