IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/enreec/v87y2024i3d10.1007_s10640-023-00836-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Factors Influencing Customer Participation in a Program to Replace Lead Pipes for Drinking Water

Author

Listed:
  • Heather Klemick

    (U.S. EPA, Office of Policy, National Center for Environmental Economics)

  • Ann Wolverton

    (U.S. EPA, Office of Policy, National Center for Environmental Economics)

  • Bryan Parthum

    (U.S. EPA, Office of Policy, National Center for Environmental Economics)

  • Kristin Epstein

    (CDM Smith)

  • Sandra Kutzing

    (CDM Smith)

  • Sarah Armstrong

    (Accenture Federal Services)

Abstract

Many public water systems are struggling to locate and replace lead pipes that distribute drinking water across the United States. This study investigates factors associated with customer participation in a voluntary lead service line (LSL) inspection and replacement program. It also uses quasi-experimental and experimental methods to evaluate the causal impacts of two grant programs that subsidized homeowner replacement costs on LSL program participation. LSLs were more prevalent in areas with a higher concentration of older housing stock, Black and Hispanic residents, renters, and lower property values. Owner-occupied and higher valued properties were more likely to participate in the LSL program. Results from the two grant program evaluations suggest that subsidies for low-income homeowners to cover LSL replacement costs can significantly boost participation, but only when the programs are well publicized and easy to access. Even then, there was still significant non-participation among properties with confirmed LSLs.

Suggested Citation

  • Heather Klemick & Ann Wolverton & Bryan Parthum & Kristin Epstein & Sandra Kutzing & Sarah Armstrong, 2024. "Factors Influencing Customer Participation in a Program to Replace Lead Pipes for Drinking Water," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(3), pages 791-832, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:87:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s10640-023-00836-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10640-023-00836-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10640-023-00836-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10640-023-00836-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:87:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s10640-023-00836-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.