NSF Convergence Accelerator Future Water Systems: Trusted Tap - Equitable monitoring of drinking water quality at the household-level using point-of-use filters

The project will advance a new approach to monitoring drinking water quality that will fill gaps in the current monitoring framework that leave millions of Americans at risk of exposure to harmful contaminants. The approach uses commercially available point-of-use (POU) filters as both treatment tools and monitoring devices. The new monitoring approach will be coupled with new communication tools that will be designed to increase understanding of water quality, communicate test results, and recommend next steps to a diverse cross-section of end-users.

The new monitoring approach and communication tools will be evaluated under real-world conditions through pilot-testing for two end-use cases. The first is serving public water systems concerned about lead in customer taps. The second is serving the 23 million American households who receive their drinking water from private wells.

The project will benefit urban and rural residents across the country to increase access to safe drinking water and restore trust in water supplies.

The specific objectives of the project are to (1) refine and expand the POU filter monitoring approach for high priority contaminants, filter types, and water compositions; (2) develop communication tools to increase understanding of water quality, communicate test results, and recommend next steps to a diverse cross-section of end-users; (3) evaluate feasibility and cost when implementing Trusted Tap under real-world conditions; and (4) establish a sustainability plan to expand water quality monitoring and provide communication solutions beyond the period of NSF funding. In parallel efforts the project will refine the filter-based monitoring approach and develop the necessary communication tools.

These efforts will feed into pilot-testing for two end-use cases. The sustainability plan will include the development of a business model architecture, design of a go-to-market strategy, and initiation of commercialization and funding processes. The convergent research will involve close partnerships among two universities, a major public water system, two rural community assistance programs, and a Tribal nation that will be guided by an advisory board with diverse perspectives.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.