Grantee Research Project Results
2019 Progress Report: Untapping the Crowd: Consumer Detection and Control of Lead in Drinking Water
EPA Grant Number: CR839375Title: Untapping the Crowd: Consumer Detection and Control of Lead in Drinking Water
Investigators: Edwards, Marc , Berglund, Emily , Pieper, Kelsey , Katner, Adrienne , Cooper, Caren
Current Investigators: Edwards, Marc , Berglund, Emily , Pieper, Kelsey , Katner, Adrienne , Cooper, Caren , Roy, Siddhartha , Kriss, Rebecca , Scherer, Michelle
Institution: Virginia Tech , Louisiana State University , University of Iowa , North Carolina State University , Texas A & M University
Current Institution: Virginia Tech , University of Iowa , Louisiana State University , North Carolina State University , Texas A & M University
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2021 (Extended to March 31, 2023)
Project Period Covered by this Report: April 1, 2019 through March 31,2020
Project Amount: $1,981,500
RFA: National Priorities: Transdisciplinary Research into Detecting and Controlling Lead in Drinking Water (2017) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Drinking Water , Water
Objective:
We are developing a consumer-centric framework to detect and control water lead risks by achieving the following objectives: 1) inventory infrastructure and analytical data, 2) predict risks with quantitative models, 3) evaluate models through citizen science, 4) intervene with site-tailored strategies to avoid water lead exposure, and 5) scale deliverables to a national level.
Progress Summary:
OBJ. 1. INVENTORY.
Collect data from communities : 1.2: Collect data from communities
Well Water Testing in North Carolina
Between February and September 2019, Virginia Tech and the UNC Institute for the Environment partnered with North Carolina local and state governments to provide free well water testing to private well users. A total of 1148 well water samples were analyzed. The goal was to measure lead in drinking water from private wells, where well users are solely responsible for detecting and controlling water lead risks, while examining well water quality and recovery after Hurricanes Florence and Michael using emergency funds from the National Science Foundation.
Well Water Testing in New York
The objectives of this study are to: 1) summarize fingerprinting techniques to identify chloride sourced from road salt, 2) apply these techniques to determine whether they work in drinking water supplied by private wells, 3) compare these results to an analysis of spatial and temporal chloride trends, and 4) examine the relationship between chloride and the metals in drinking water infrastructure that are vulnerable to corrosion.
Municipal System Testing
In August 2019, we conducted a sampling campaign in Chicago was performed, also using the Flint 3-bottle protocol. We sampled 194 homes and found that the 90th percentile first draw lead was 8.7 ppb, less than in Cicero and Berwyn. However, the 90th percentile second draw sample was higher at 10.4 ppb and the highest lead level observed was 961.3, the highest in all the Chicago area homes that were tested. These results indicate that Chicago may be meeting the lead and copper rule, but results are nonetheless concerning because of the sustained 90th percentile lead levels, even after flushing. This is consistent with prior research of EPA Region V.
Louisiana Citizen Science Datasets
Citizen science datasets in Louisiana were generated in collaboration with community partners. These included data on water lead levels, lead service line indicates (age of installation), water quality, and survey data such as water use, treat use and risk perceptions. This data, in addition to utility-based data on corrosion control treatment use, is being incorporated into the BBN models.
Citizen Science Kit Development
Crowd the Tap pipe identification kits were created, which contain postcards that have descriptions of where to find tap water pipes along with materials used to test tap water pipes (i.e. penny and magnet). These kits will be used by citizen scientists to find and test their tap water pipes, and then report the results to an online website and database. An estimated 200 pipe identification kits were distributed to Citizen Science Festival visitors.
Biosolids Monitoring
In 2019, we conducted research that used biosolids monitoring to retroactively evaluate levels of lead in Flint water before, during and after the water crisis (Roy et al., 2019). We have continued that work with a new paper tracking lead in Flint potable water during the recovery and replacement of lead service lines (Roy et al., in review). Due to our success in using this approach we are trying to expand this analysis to trends in Providence, RI; University Park, IL; Chicago; IL and Toronto, Canada to further evaluate this method.
OBJ. 2. PREDICT.
Develop a BBN model of household-level citizen risk considering
Household-level Citizen Risk Model (80% complete for the data sets that we have received) and GIS-Enabled BBN Community Model (10% complete)
Develop a scalable information technology (IT) platform
Planning and development of our team’s main website, including functionality needs and security requirements, has been completed
OBJ. 3. EVALUATE.
Evaluate low-cost citizen science lead in water testing technologies
The utility and accuracy of off-the-shelf lead in water test kits as screening tools for lead in water was evaluated at the laboratory scale.
OBJ. 4. INTERVENE.
Evaluate environmental interventions
Interventions evaluated includes: 1) low-cost point of use systems (POU); 2) corrosion control treatment (including those in homes such as limestone contactors); 3) flushing; 4) full and partial service line replacements; and 5) provision of other water sources like bottled water and water buffalos.
Evaluate educational interventions
A project-based educational curriculum for elementary and grade schools, which was developed through a grant from the US EPA Environmental Education Program, is currently being evaluated and updated with funds from this US EPA grant.
OBJ. 5. SCALE.
Engage with stakeholders to enhance the capabilities of the consumer-centric framework
Well Community: In October 2018, Extension programs from 12 states participated in a 2-day meeting at NC State. The states included: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. Participants from Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont were not able to attend. The purpose of this meeting was to (1) understand function and capacity of existing/successful programs; (2) identify barriers to and conditions for success/best practices for new programs; (3) develop resources and guidelines to address common well water problems; and (4) design metrics to evaluate Extension programming. Results of this meeting are currently being developed into a white paper.
Municipal Systems: We have already developed a sampling kit, sampling instructions, and participant notification materials for conveying results and risk to participants to be used in Iowa sampling in the project beta testing. In October 2019 during Lead Poisoning Prevention Week we ran a drinking water “Get the Lead Out” campaign in Iowa that has tested over 250 drinking water samples in Iowa.
Future Activities:
- Other data sources such as USGS groundwater data are being evaluated for integration in the BBN as well as better characterizing corrosion in small systems with limit treatment.
- In year 3, citizen science kit distribution in partnership with the National Library of medicine and completion of the 9th-12th grade high school lesson plans and kit programs will continue in an effort to get underrepresented groups engaged with the Crowd the Tap crowdsource program. Further water testing efforts to build up the predictive risk model may be performed.
- In Year #3, we plan to focus efforts on completing publications around the household-level risk model and to further develop the community-level risk model.
- Website content is expected to be complete by the Fall of 2020, which will include BBN integration.
- Field testing of the top at-home kit using at-home acid treatment with lemon juice will be carried out to determine usability considerations and whether kits are subject to interferences from co-contaminants such as iron.
- Validation of the BBN model with field data will begin once the internal testing of BBN model with the partners’ existing database is completed.
- Documents presenting population-specific educational needs, intervention strategies, and consumer guidance materials for addressing knowledge gaps, motivating exposure reduction behaviors, and enabling informed-decision making is being developed. These documents anticipated to be one of the final outputs of the project.
- Community partners in Iowa and Texas will apply our framework and work products, recruiting consumers to participate in crowdsourced inventories, water testing, and use of the model, providing a feedback loop to those efforts.
- The results from the Extension well water workshop will also be developed into a white paper and a follow-up workshop will be held in Year 3 to evaluate progress toward individual and group goals.
Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 56 publications | 13 publications in selected types | All 13 journal articles |
|---|
| Type | Citation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Roy S, Tang M, Edwards MA. Lead release to potable water during the Flint, Michigan water crisis as revealed by routine biosolids monitoring data. Water research 2019;160:475-83. |
CR839375 (2019) CR839375 (2020) CR839375 (2021) |
Exit Exit |
|
|
Roy S, Edwards MA. Preventing another lead (Pb) in drinking water crisis:Lessons from the Washington DC and Flint MI contamination events. Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health 2019;7:34-44. |
CR839375 (2019) CR839375 (2020) CR839375 (2021) |
Exit |
|
|
Pieper KJ, Katner A, Kriss R, Tang M, Edwards MA. Understanding lead in water and avoidance strategies:a United States perspective for informed decision-making. Journal of water and health 2019;17(4):540-55. |
CR839375 (2019) CR839375 (2020) CR839375 (2021) |
Exit Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
Lead, drinking water, corrosion, citizen science, environmental justiceRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.