Superfund Research Program


November 2024

Paper of the Month or Year

Tap water quality in Puerto Rico showed partial recovery starting six months after Hurricane Maria, according to researchers partly funded by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program at Northeastern University. The study provides the first long-term, island-wide assessment of changes in drinking water quality following the storm.

The team collected tap water samples from across Puerto Rico and analyzed the samples for 200 organic pollutants and 22 trace elements. They found that 11 trace elements and seven organic pollutants decreased during the study period, suggesting that Hurricane Maria had a temporary impact on tap water. Additionally, the most common pollutants identified could contribute to adverse health outcomes, including inflammation and cancer.

The results emphasize the importance of continued drinking water monitoring in risk-prone areas, according to the researchers.

To learn more, see this Extramural Paper of the Month.