MLP Model of Poor Water Quality in Pittsburgh
By: Lauren Miller, Monique Smith, Olivia Shoucair, Leah Jiang
Initial process
Having mapped the problem of poor water quality in Pittsburgh using the wicked mapping framework, the next phase of our project was to recast the issue using Multi-Level Perspective Modeling and Social Practice Theory. The goal of this exercise was to situate the dynamics we identified in our wicked mapping exercise in a larger socio-technical context in order to help identify leverage points and begin to develop potential interventions.
We started this process by first trying to understand the types of social practices that may associated with poor water quality at an individual and neighborhood scale. We wanted to better explore the types of everyday activities that may perpetuate or mediate poor water quality within the community.
Using Elizabeth Shove’s model of social practices, we then expanded out all of the possible stuff, meanings, and skills associated with water quality related practices. We quickly realized that lawn care was a compelling practice to look, partially because there is a powerful sense of identity around lawn care at the individual and community level. We also saw a connection between what was already happening at the individual level — homeowners collecting their lawn waste to be picked up from the curb- and how it could be coupled at the city level with the city’s Green-First Plan as a way to help rebuild eco-zones to mitigate stormwater overflow. Excited by this idea, we began transferring our ideas into the MLP model.
Refining the MLP map
Instead of using a whiteboard, we decided to use a collaborative sketching tool, Figma, to begin categorizing drivers of poor water quality across the Landscape, Regime, and Niche level. We started trying to translate our wicked map issues directly onto the MLP model, but realized that granularity at which we listed elements in our wicked map did not entirely make sense in the MLP framework, so we began rolling up issues into broader categories. We also realized that there were dynamics we missed in the first phase, such as the rise of an information-driven economy and attitudes of water as a plentiful and mostly free resource, that now became apparent as key aspects within the system.
In a few instances, we had difficulty distinguishing if a certain element was at the Landscape or Regime level and there were a few examples that seemed to exist at multiple levels at once. Once we had everything mapped into one of the three categories we began to draw connections.
Identifying leverage points
Through this process we started to realize that there were a number of elements that were interconnected at multiple levels of scale. This process also led us to do some additional secondary research, that helped us discover that there were organizations in Pittsburgh, such as CivicMapper, which were seeding ideas at the niche level that could potentially have profound influence in the future. That influence could be amplified and reinforced through positive feedback loops if connected effectively to other initiatives.
At the landscape level, we found a general lack of awareness of water issues to be a deeply connected issue at all three levels and, if change was made, it could have positive ripple effects throughout the system. Additionally, the city of Pittsburgh has recently adopted a “Green First” infrastructure program, which sits somewhere between the Niche and Regime levels, and while not currently connected to other initiatives in the city, could indicate a leverage point to coalesce around.
Exploring possible interventions
Given these dynamics, we began brainstorming possible intervention scenarios. After some lively discussion, we decide to explore two possible interventions:
- Soil recycling and Green First Infrastructure Plan
- Increasing awareness and information about water quality
Given the scale of the water quality issues in Pittsburgh, it has remained shocking to our group how little public knowledge and outcry there seems to be about the issues, so we wanted to explore ways to aggregate information that would help create greater transparency and awareness.
At the niche level, we saw a couple interesting trends that we could leverage. As previously mentioned, we looked at Civic Mapper, an organization that aims to design maps and curate data in order to empower groups working in the civic sphere. In Pittsburgh, the organization has mapped and modeled the wastewater network, with ultimate goal of supporting system analysis and process monitoring. This inspired us to think about how we might provide communities and organizations with relevant place-based information.
Another niche trend we examined were the existing practices around water testing. There are a couple methods if you want to get your water tested for lead. First, there are private water tests which can be purchased at hardware stores like Home Depot. Free water testing is provided by the PWSA through at-home testing kits which can be mailed to your door. As a group, we decided to got through the process of getting our water testing with the PWSA. The process takes a minimum of five weeks from start to finish — a couple days to correspond with a PSWA rep, 10 days to get your at-home test kit provided it doesn’t get lost in the mail like ours did) and 3 weeks to process the sample and receive results.
The results of the test are only sent to the individual that requested them. Currently, there is no existing method to view the water quality results of other people and to get more immediate feedback on the water quality within your neighborhood. We were surprised by this lack of transparency and wondered if there was an opportunity to intervene by collecting and mapping this information in a grassroots way.
Perhaps by aggregating results of home water testing kits using a service like CivicMapper, we could help map the problems across the city, connect residents to information about their neighborhood, and ultimately drive increased citizen engagement in the issue. Once citizens are engaged, they may then be able to put more pressure on the utility and city government to address the water quality issues and demand the utility provide them with more information about their water quality. In tangent, consumers expectations of service provides are increasing with our ever-growing information economy and the potential of big data, the impacts of which we are already beginning to see in traditionally non-consumer focused sectors like utilities. One could imagine that in the future, as consumers demand better and more real-time information about the quality of their water service that utility bills could include a rating of your water quality alongside your monthly charges. You could also imagine the ability to monitor your water quality in real time, enabled by the water equivalent of a Nest thermostat, and this information being dynamically fed back into the system.
Another niche trend that is of interest is community composting. During our discussion of existing practices related to water quality in a previously class, we landed upon composting as an alternative to fertilizers that may end up in the groundwater supply. This led our team to thinking about lawn/garden care practices in general, such as weeding, leaf raking, and lawn mowing. All of these activities produce yard waste, which is often raked to the top of one’s yard and collected by the township or borough. Often, this waste is given to a private company which turns it into usable compost but charges the for the end product.
Niche organizations, such as the private company AgRecycle and the Shadyside Compost exchange collect compostable waste and produce usable soil amendments. In the case of the Shadyside Compost Exchange, community members contribute to the exchange by giving their food scraps and yard waste, and are given back the compost. Our team explored the idea of setting up a county-wide compost exchange, that would take away yard waste already produced by residents of Allegheny County, and use it to produce compost to contribute to the Green First Infrastructure plan to reduce storm water overflow. This would lower the cost of the landscaping, as well as increase community investment in the plan.
