Program on the Environment

A society’s resilience is dependent on inherent education, waste, and water (EWW) systems. Hundreds of millions of people still live without access to basic water systems, waste management, and relevant educational materials, leaving societies in poverty, dependent on aid, and corrupt. Despite billions of dollars being spent every year in aid, the majority of projects fail to sustain themselves within a few years post-implementation. These projects fail as a result of a linear assessment framework used to evaluate education, waste, and water systems independent of each other. This approach has resulted in a misrepresentation of the feedback loops and interactions within a society, stakeholders left unaccountable, and few long term solutions. The purpose of this research was to discover what systemic factors and feedbacks, on both a local and national level, affect a society’s resilience using EWW systems as the key indicators in a dynamic assessment model that accurately pinpoints the root causes of the breakdowns. Methods include a comprehensive literature review of system-dynamics, quantitative and qualitative indicators of unsustainable EWW infrastructure, and an analysis of current community assessment methodologies. Results include an assessment method paired with an integrated EWW feedback loop. Both the assessment and feedback loop are systems-based and scalable. This method can be used to assess the current state of EWW systems in communities and regions. This unique framework is crucial in the planning of long-term EWW projects and a society’s resilience.