UV treatment for private well water to prevent childhood stomach infections
Wells and Enteric Disease Transmission: A randomized trial of children supplied drinking water from private wells (WET-Trial)
Researchers will give some households with private wells a UV device for their drinking water to try to reduce stomach illnesses in children under five.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Temple Univ of the Commonwealth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177715 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project randomly assigns homes that use private, untreated wells to receive either an active ultraviolet (UV) water treatment device or a sham inactive device. Children under age five in those households will be followed to track episodes of gastrointestinal (stomach) illness and related healthcare use. The team will collect illness reports and environmental and microbiological samples to link infections with well water exposure. An interdisciplinary advisory committee will oversee the trial to ensure safety and scientific rigor.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are households that rely on private, untreated well water and have at least one child under five years old living there.
Not a fit: Children who do not drink water from private wells, live on treated municipal water, or already use effective home water treatment are unlikely to benefit from this trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the trial could show a practical way to lower childhood gastrointestinal infections from private wells and reduce related medical visits and missed school days.
How similar studies have performed: There have been no prior randomized trials testing whether household UV treatment of private well water reduces childhood gastrointestinal illness, although UV is an established method to disinfect water in other settings.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Temple Univ of the Commonwealth — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Murphy, Heather M — Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
- Study coordinator: Murphy, Heather 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.