UTHealth Houston researcher selected for NASA-funded project to improve drinking water resilience along the U.S.-Mexico border
Research project led by a faculty member at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health has been selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to advance through the agency's review process for funding under its highly competitive Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES)-2025 program. The project began in June of 2026 and is the first time NASA has assembled a water quality applications team, leveraging the expertise of 11 research scientist from around the country.
The project, selected through NASA's Water Quality Applications program, will leverage satellite-based Earth observations and advanced hydrologic modeling to help drinking water utilities better anticipate and respond to changing water quality conditions in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The proposal was one of 93 submissions received nationwide in response to the NASA solicitation and was selected to move forward following NASA's initial scientific review.
Access to safe, reliable drinking water remains a growing public health challenge, particularly in regions where changing weather patterns, extreme rainfall events, and limited infrastructure can affect source water quality. “Drinking water is one of the most fundamental public health protections, but producing safe drinking water involves a delicate balance,” said Yun Hang, PhD, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences. Communities along the U.S.-Mexico border face unique challenges due to the combined influence of local and transboundary watershed conditions, climate variability, and increasing pressure on water resources.
The three-year project will focus on two key border regions: Paso del Norte and the Rio Grande Valley. Researchers will work alongside drinking water utilities, watershed planners, and infrastructure partners to develop new tools that provide earlier awareness of upstream watershed conditions that may affect drinking water treatment operations.
“Working closely with El Paso Water ensures that our research addresses real operational needs while helping utilities better prepare for climate related water quality changes and continue providing safe drinking water to communities across the Texas border region,” said Hang.
Using data from NASA Earth-observing missions—including the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), ECOSTRESS, Landsat, Sentinel, Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT), and future products from the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission—the team will evaluate environmental conditions linked to changes in source water quality. These observations will be combined with hydrologic models and historical water treatment records to identify indicators associated with fluctuations in turbidity, dissolved organic matter, and other factors that can influence drinking water treatment processes. “By combining NASA satellite observations, artificial intelligence, and local environmental monitoring, we hope to develop predictive tools that can identify changing source water conditions before they become treatment challenges,” she said.
The project aims to bridge critical information gaps by extending monitoring capabilities beyond traditional sampling locations and providing water managers with a more comprehensive view of watershed conditions before impacts reach drinking water intakes.
Researchers will also develop user-friendly visualization tools and periodic source water summaries designed for utility staff and decision-makers without specialized expertise in remote sensing or hydrologic modeling. To maximize accessibility and community impact, project materials will be made available in both English and Spanish.
By integrating NASA Earth observations into drinking water planning and preparedness efforts, the project seeks to improve storm response planning, treatment readiness, and long-term watershed management. The team will also establish protocols for integrating satellite-derived indicators with utility records, creating a framework that can be adapted for use in other regions facing similar water quality challenges.
The interdisciplinary project brings together expertise in remote sensing, hydrologic modeling, drinking water treatment, watershed management, infrastructure planning, and public health, while maintaining strong partnerships with regional water stakeholders and border communities.
Through ongoing collaboration with end users, the project is expected to advance the practical application of Earth observation technologies for drinking water management and strengthen the resilience of water systems serving vulnerable populations throughout the border region.