State seeks groups to provide water testing and filters in McDowell and Mingo counties

Applications are open for organizations to test drinking water and provide filters to at least 5,000 households that use private wells, springs and cisterns in McDowell and Mingo counties.

The $3.2 million Water Is Medicine program has two funding tiers, according to a release from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, which is working with the state Department of Health.

Up to $1.2 million in federal Rural Health Transformation Program funding would pay for tests at a minimum of 1,000 higher-priority homes and filters chosen for each home’s results. Another tier offers up to $2 million in state money for filters and training for at least 4,000 additional households.

Priority would go to households with unsafe water or no running water and those with young children or older adults. Selected organizations will also teach families how to install and maintain filters and use follow-up tests to check water safety.

“We need partners who can build trust with families, reach the homes that need help most, and make sure every filter is installed correctly and working,” Secretary of Health Dr. Arvin Singh said in the release.

Public and private organizations, including nonprofits, local health departments and colleges, can apply. They must be registered to do business in West Virginia and able to serve both counties themselves or with partners. Applicants with local partnerships, quick access to priority homes and plans for lasting water safety will receive preference.

The application materials, including eligibility rules, submission instructions and deadlines, are available at wvOASIS.gov. Organizations can send questions to RHTP@wv.gov.