RWELL Trial: Safer Drinking Water for Appalachian Families
Official title: Expanding Safe Water Access to Improve Health Outcomes in Appalachia: The Rural Water Filtration and Health (RWELL) Trial
Funded at Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ · NIH-11378794 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study tests a low-cost, household water treatment approach to improve health for people in rural Appalachia who rely on private wells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $774,123 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI187428-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11378794 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are residents in rural Appalachia relying on private wells or spring water with potential exposure to contaminants.
✕Less likely to help
Households already connected to treated or public water systems may see minimal direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on households in Central Appalachia that use private water sources and may have unsafe drinking water. It aims to test a simple, affordable water filtration solution to reduce waterborne illness and improve overall health, especially for young children and adults. Researchers will collect health and water data over several years to see if the intervention lowers infection and related health problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, families could have safer drinking water at home, leading to fewer illnesses and better wellbeing.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work suggests household water interventions can reduce exposure and improve health, but focused data in Appalachia are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
Blacksburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cohen, Alasdair — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Cohen, Alasdair
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.