Disparities in Tap Water: Public Trust and Developing Access in Small Communities
Abstract
This presentation aims to highlight challenges in trust and disparity in tap water, focusing on smaller community water systems. Topics that will be briefly covered include public trust issues in tap water, how challenges in tap water are unevenly distributed by socioeconomic status, perceptions of bottled water vs tap water, and funding opportunities for small water systems in Virginia. A case study will be presented on using multiple avenues of funding to support a small community water system.
Bio
James Reynolds, PE
Field Director, Office of Drinking Water, Virginia Department of Health
Richmond, VA
James is the Field Director for the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water’s Richmond Field Office. He started his career in the drinking water industry in 2006 as an operator trainee at a water treatment plant in Suffolk, Virginia and has experience at a water treatment plant, regulatory agency, and as a consultant. James has his B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering and M.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and is a licensed professional engineer in Virginia.