Collaborative Research as Action: Advancing Rural Environmental Justice, Water Equity, and Well-Being in Eastern NC

The environmental quality in Sampson County, North Carolina (NC), is degraded by numerous polluting facilities. These facilities pose a contamination threat to groundwater quality, which poses a public health concern in a county where over half of its residents rely on private wells. This case study describes the work of a community–university partnership to understand private well water quality and water-related inequities across Sampson County. From March 2021 to March 2023, a local environmental advocacy organization, partnered with faculty and students from two public universities in NC, established a water quality testing (WQT) team. The team tested approximately 180 samples for metals, ions, fecal coliform, and/or perfluoroalkyl substance and conducted surveys and semi-structured interviews with residents to learn more about their sensory experience of their water. The team’s applied research presented unique opportunities for residents to actively learn about their water quality and factors that may impact it. This work also encouraged community mobilizing, organizing, and advocacy to local and state officials for infrastructure investments and more well testing in the county. These opportunities were due, in large part, to the strong local leaders within the WQT team, the team’s ongoing efforts to establish a strong and equitable partnership, the team’s interdisciplinary approach to the work, and our adaptability to change. Residents, community partners, and university-based researchers were transformed through the research process, underscoring potential for community-driven research to serve as an important action in and of itself.