Upcoming Events
PhD Dissertation Defense - Environmental Science & Policy
Mar 23, 2026, 9:00 - 11:00 AM
Johnson Center Meeting Room D and on Zoom (contact Dr. Dann Sklarew for Zoom meeting link)
PhD Dissertation
Department of Environmental Science and Policy
College of Science
George Mason University
Candidate: Charles W. Sterling III
Defense Date and Time: March 23, 2026 at 9:00am
Defense Location: Johnson Center Meeting Room D and Zoom
Title: Segregated Fountains: The relationship between racial segregation and drinking water access in the United States
Dissertation Director: Dr. Dann Sklarew
Committee: Dr. Levi Van Sant, Dr. KL Akerlof, Dr. Rutledge Dennis, Dr. Rianna Murray
ABSTRACT
How do racial segregation, wealth, and municipal governance shape access to community drinking water in the United States? Using census tract-level data from 1980–2020, it demonstrates that predominantly White neighborhoods have consistently higher odds of water access, with disparities widening over time—particularly in the Midwest. I further identify patterns of municipal underbounding in Virginia that exclude Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Asian communities from centralized systems. While race is a significant predictor, economic status was a greater determinant of access. The dissertation concludes by advancing a pluralistic environmental justice framework and evaluating federal policy pathways to address persistent inequities in water governance.
