Rural populations are among the most vulnerable to illness from flooding events because they source drinking water from private and unregulated wells. Floodwaters, high in contaminants, may infiltrate wells, expose residents through drinking water and cause gastrointestinal and other illnesses. Over the next four months, with the support for the National Science Foundation, we will be visiting 300+ homes in rural Duplin and Sampson counties to test well water for nitrate and H.pylori bacteria. We will also be interviewing rural residents to examine if perceptions of risk match actual risk and to document the types and appropriateness of protections these residents have taken (e.g. boiling water, filtration, bottled water, etc.).
Project collaborators:
Ariane Peralta (ECU Biology)
Randall Etheridge (ECU Engineering)
Jamie Kruse (ECU Economics & Center for Natural Hazards Research)
