Pittsburgh's Failing Water Infrastructure
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link; any system should be not judged by its ability to excel in ideal conditions, but rather in its performance under predictable yet adverse circumstances. This week’s blizzard has revealed severe issues within Pittsburgh’s public works sector. It is reasonable to expect some hiccups, such as 37 snow plows breaking down within a few hours of the downpour. Things happen! A city must, however, maintain a certain standard of living for its citizens. As many are already painfully aware, Pittsburgh has fallen painfully short of this duty: there are not enough places where you can sit outside in the snow and have a drink.
Pittsburgh lacks good winter outdoor drinking infrastructure, particularly in the Oakland and Squirrel Hill neighborhoods. The importance of winter drinking is well-documented. With shorter days and lower temperatures, many find themselves suffering the onset of seasonal depression. The first few snowfalls of the year have traditionally served to provide a reprise from the monotony of winter. Cracking open a couple beers in a snowy park has been an essential activity for alcoholics all over the globe; it has many health benefits and absolutely no negative effects. However, as international human rights agencies have pointed out for decades, stark disparities in access to these spaces can exist even within the same city.
The World Health Organization recommends a certain number of drinking-optimized nooks and crannies per street, depending on population density. Disturbingly, multiple neighborhoods in Pittsburgh fail to meet these standards . Accounts of unbroken lines of storefronts, visible-in-plain-sight benches, and terribly located playgrounds corroborate existing reports claiming that up to 23% of Pittsburgh residents are not able to access a nice winter drinking spot within walking distance of their homes. Attached is a harrowing first-hand interview conducted by ReadMe’s investigative journalism division.
Anon: I started off my search in the south of Squirrel Hill, near the Greenfield end of Murray Ave. I’ve heard stories, sure, but I didn’t think it would happen to me. I felt deep down that I’d be able to find a spot to enjoy a 9 PM beverage in peace. I was sure I’d find something. I had a tallboy shoved into my jacket pocket, I remember. God, I was so naive. I don’t know if that makes me want to laugh or cry. I just kept walking, and walking, and all I saw were stores. Sure, business street, whatever, but there was nothing else. I’d wander off into a residential area, and keep walking in hopes of finding a patch of shrubbery or something where I could sit on the curb and crack the can open, but there was nothing. Nothing. No empty parking lots, no alcoves, nothing. I kept telling myself that it’d get better, because it had to get better, but it didn’t. I just kept walking with my unopened tallboy in my pocket. At one point I almost gave up and sat down in a snowdrift. It was just so bleak. Fuck. Sorry. I need a minute. This is really hard to talk about.
Anyway. I eventually made it up to Schenley Park. Some goddamn kids were sledding down the hill, so I had to stumble to one of the pagodas there. It was so nice to find a bench that wasn’t within a plain view of a road. I just remember getting there and staring off into the distance. I couldn’t make out what color the sky was. It seemed like it was grey behind me, and a sort of purple in front of me. Man. Where was I? Right. My beer. By the time I cracked it open, it wasn’t even a liquid anymore. It was basically a beer slushie. That’s how long it took me to find a decent spot to drink it. Can you imagine?
Public outrage over this issue, which has been increasing since December, reached a boiling point this weekend. On January 25th, the City of Pittsburgh declared a state of emergency, with the aim of addressing outdoor inebriation inequity. Political scientists have been quick to point this out as a textbook example of grassroots community sentiment bolstering change on a higher level. While the future of public intoxication remains uncertain, those in power must keep in mind that power ultimately resides in the people.