CEE Seminar – Building an emergency well water surveillance system for North Carolina

Natural hazards magnify drinking water contamination disparities, as inequities in hazard risks, infrastructure recovery, and social support systems can render well-reliant populations more vulnerable and less resilient. The impact of natural disasters on the private well community is a serious public health issue as exposure to contaminated well water has been linked to waterborne disease outbreaks, lead poisoning, birth defects, and other serious adverse health effects. Data limitations and availability issues have hindered the ability of health departments to quantify and characterize at-risk and vulnerable private wells. This presentation discusses lessons learned after three major hurricanes (2017 Harvey, 2018 Florence, and 2024 Debby) and our team’s current strategies to support state and local health departments with GIS-enabled tools and associated training following Hurricane Helene.