Abstract

The Maryland Safe Drinking WATER Study: A citizen science initiative for ensuring the safety of drinking water in Maryland, USA

Rianna Murray, PhD, MPH¹, Georgia Parolski, MPH¹, Amy R. Sapkota, PhD¹, Allen Davis, PhD², Paul Turner, PhD¹ and Leena Malayil, PhD, MS¹
(1)University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, (2)University of Maryland School of Engineering, College Park, MD

APHA 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo

Approximately 5.1 million Maryland residents rely on public drinking water systems, while over 1 million depend on private wells. Recent studies identified total coliforms, E. coli, and Cryptosporidium in both public and private drinking water sources, and Maryland’s public drinking water sources have been recently contaminated with Legionella. Additionally, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals," have been found in Maryland’s public water, raising concerns for both municipal water users and private well owners.

Given these threats to our drinking water, the Maryland Safe Drinking WATER Study aims to assess the water quality of both public drinking water systems and private wells in Maryland. Phase 1 of the study employed a citizen science approach to recruit 858 Maryland residents from all 23 counties and Baltimore City. Participants received at-home water testing kits to measure key drinking water contaminants, including lead, coliform bacteria, iron, copper, chlorine, nitrates, pH, and hardness. A total of 576 participants (67%) reported their results. Just over half (51.2%) of participants rely on private wells and 48.8% utilize public water. Enrollment varied across the state, with Calvert County having the highest participation (98 participants) and Caroline County the lowest (9 participants).

Preliminary analysis of the test kit results indicate that over half of the participants reported that their water did not meet at least one federal health-based drinking water standard.

We are currently in Phase 2 of our study, collecting samples from participants who reported results in Phase 1. We have sampled over 100 homes from 13 counties to date and are conducting laboratory analysis for microbiological and chemical contaminants. This study provides valuable insights into Maryland’s drinking water quality and will help inform future public health interventions and policy efforts to ensure safe drinking water for all residents.

Environmental health sciences