Point of Use (POU) Water Treatment Systems for Improving Sustainability and Enviornmental Justice in Colonias of the Paso del Norte Region

This project is performing community-based participatory research (CBPR) through Water and POU Perception and Use Inventory surveys of residents in up to twelve colonias of the Paso del Norte region (Texas and New Mexico); design and test point of use (POU) systems for specific water contaminants of these colonias; implement select POU systems in over one hundred homes across at least three colonias; and evaluate the sustainability of the use of the POU technologies with respect to environmental, social/user, and economic metrics. This project uses social science to study attitudes and barriers against implementation of POU devices in participating communities. In addition to chemical removal, this project will also explore removal and mitigation of microbial contaminants.