Helping North Carolina private well users reduce toxic metals in their drinking water
Core C: Community Engagement Core (CEC)
UNC and local partners will teach and support private well owners in North Carolina to find and lower toxic metals like arsenic in their drinking water.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261783 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and your neighbors will work with UNC researchers and local leaders to learn how to test and understand private well water for toxic metals like arsenic. The team will use participatory science methods, offering training, tools, and local meetings so residents can collect samples, review results, and explore treatment options. They will also convene a Public Health Action Committee with community groups, health departments, and environmental experts to shape local actions and policy options. Activities focus on three North Carolina counties with high natural arsenic and local contamination concerns, and everything is done together with community partners.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are private well owners or residents in the three North Carolina counties partnering with the UNC Superfund Research Program who are concerned about arsenic or other metal contamination.
Not a fit: People who do not rely on private wells, live outside the targeted counties, or already receive treated municipal water are unlikely to get direct benefit from this core's local activities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help private well users detect and reduce exposure to toxic metals, lowering health risks from contaminated drinking water.
How similar studies have performed: Similar community-engagement and well-testing programs have helped residents identify contaminants and adopt household treatment, though broader policy solutions are still developing.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gray, Kathleen M — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Gray, Kathleen M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.