WELCH, W.Va. - Governor Patrick Morrisey today announced a $3.2 million Water Filtration Initiative to deliver clean, dependable drinking water to 5,000 households relying on private wells, springs, or cisterns in McDowell and Mingo counties.

"Clean, dependable drinking water is a basic necessity, and our families have gone without practical solutions for far too long," said Governor Morrisey. "This initiative gets filtration systems directly into homes, helping provide safer drinking water for more than 10,000 West Virginians."

The initiative addresses widespread groundwater challenges across the region. Recent studies by researchers at Virginia Tech and the U.S. Geological Survey found coliform bacteria in 65% to 90% of wells and springs tested in the region. Families also face heavy iron that stains fixtures, damages appliances, and can force them to spend thousands of dollars each year on bottled water.

The $3.2 million initiative pairs state and federal resources to reach 5,000 homes outside municipal water boundaries:

● $1.2 Million (Federal Rural Health Transformation Program): Directed under the Personal Health Accelerator clean water project to assist 1,000 high-priority and crisis households, including homes without running water, homes with elevated bacteria or nitrate levels, and households with infants or seniors. Funding covers comprehensive state lab water testing, customized filtration units, well disinfection, replacement filters through September 2027, and post-treatment verification tests.

● $2 Million (Governor's Civil Contingent Fund): State funds dedicated to providing equipment to 4,000 additional homes. Each residence will receive a countertop water purification system designed to remove bacteria, a full year of replacement filters provided at setup, settling tanks for homes with high-iron water, and routine check-ins at one and six months.

The Department of Health and Department of Environmental Protection are issuing a competitive Announcement for Funding Availability (AFA) to select a single qualified organization to manage household distribution and testing. The program will provide one sign-up process for families while maintaining separate accounting for state and federal funds.

Local navigators will coordinate sign-ups, water testing, and delivery of filtration kits directly to residents who cannot attend community distribution days, partnering with local organizations including the McDowell County Commission on Aging, food banks, churches, and volunteer fire departments.

The competitive funding announcement is expected to open this week, with a final award anticipated in January. Water testing and distribution of filtration systems are expected to begin in February 2027.

"We've committed significant resources to improving water infrastructure across West Virginia, but extending public water lines to every rural home takes time," said Governor Morrisey. "We can't tell families who need safe drinking water today that they simply have to wait. This initiative provides a practical solution while we continue making those longer-term investments."

This press release is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the financial assistance award totaling $199,476,098.72 with 100% funded by CMS HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.