Dr. Eric Roy, Ph.D., is a scientist and engineer with more than 20 years of experience in water science and chemical detection. As Culligan’s Chief Science Officer, he helps guide water treatment innovation and simplifies the complexities of water quality for all.
Dr. Roy founded his first water filtration company, now part of Culligan, in response to the Flint water crisis, developing and donating filters designed to address the Michigan community’s high lead levels. He has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives on innovation and technology to address lead contamination. He holds a doctorate in oceanography from the University of Maine and a bachelor’s in chemistry from Colby College.
What first drew you to a career in water science?
As a chemistry major, I did research on lakes throughout Maine, and I fell in love with water science. I was inspired by the many stakeholders who cared so deeply about that research and wanted to do more. It’s been a wild ride ever since!
What does your day-to-day work as Chief Science Officer at Culligan look like?
My day typically breaks down into three main areas:
- Monitoring scientific research and regulatory policies on emerging contaminants like PFAS, lead, nitrate and microplastics, so Culligan teams know what is changing before our customers start to ask about it.
- Working across Culligan teams to support initiatives that can leverage our scientific expertise and foundation to move the business forward. This includes supporting product innovation workstreams, leveraging emerging technology to streamline efforts and connecting dots across really smart groups to get solutions to customers as swiftly as we can.
- Supporting consumer education and our customer-facing teams on the front lines with simplified understandings of complex topics.
No two days are quite the same but it all comes back to water science and how we can help the world enjoy their water with confidence.
Water quality is in the headlines a lot lately, and some of it sounds scary. How should people separate real risks from noise?
I wake up every day thinking about water quality and think this question is so important. The single most important thing people can do when they see or hear news that is frightening is to think about the messenger to determine if the message is credible. The media landscape changes so quickly, and it’s sometimes difficult for credible voices to cut through the noise created by others who specialize in getting attention and clicks.
I’d recommend people call a water expert or research the source before getting nervous. When it comes to water problems, we can most always find solutions together with the right people. This is why I love Culligan, because we are on the anxiety-lowering side of such headlines.
Should everyone be testing their water? Why?
Yes. Even if you’re on city water, the only way to truly understand what’s in your water is having it tested. Your city’s annual water report cannot tell you about the variables that are individual to your home. For example, lead contamination comes from plumbing and service pipes, not the water supply, so that specific contaminant wouldn’t be identified in a city water report.
If you get your water from a private well, like my home, there is no federal testing requirement. That means you, the homeowner, are responsible for testing. It’s critical to test regularly because things can change.
Many people don’t think about their water quality unless something seems off. What’s the most common “aha” moment you see that drives people to take action?
The most common driver is a change in the household: a new baby, moving into an older home, or buying a house with a private well. Those moments are when people realize they’ve been assuming their water was fine without ever checking it.
The second most common trigger to having your water tested and treated is a local news story, especially when a contaminant they’ve heard about nationally turns up in their own water.
If your water looks and tastes fine, does that mean it’s fine?
No. The contaminants with the most studied links to health effects, including lead, arsenic, nitrate and PFAS, have no color, taste or smell. The only way to know if these have contaminated your water is to test it. And it’s an easy test that can provide assurance and confidence when complete.
What do you do in your own home to make sure your water is cleaner, safer and great tasting? What approach do you recommend for others?
The approach I always recommend is to figure out which contaminants may be in your water and what risks they present; from there, set up a treatment plan. No two water sources are the same, and your location, water source and individual needs can influence water quality, so the tests really provide clarity needed.
In my home in Maine, the water comes from a private well that is susceptible to arsenic, uranium, radon, PFAS and other industrial chemicals. I include these contaminants as part of my annual water testing to be sure my treatment approach still works and does not need adjusting.
What area of water science are you most excited about right now?
I am very keen to dig further into measurement methods. The ability to measure an emerging contaminant unlocks so many other types of discoveries and serves as the foundation for regulations.
Early in my career, I built sensors to detect harmful chemicals in water and on surfaces, so I know how much depends on being able to measure something reliably and affordably. As measurement improves, regulators and homeowners can get better answers about what’s in their water.
Let’s look at microplastics as an example. Every study showing that microplastics accumulate in organs was based on the ability to detect and measure microplastics in the body. On the regulatory side of things, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) didn’t include microplastics in its latest national monitoring program for unregulated contaminants (in part) because there aren’t yet any EPA-approved methods to measure it in drinking water. Once a measurement approach is in place, regulation can follow.
What emerging issue do you think deserves more public attention, and why?
I’d like people to understand more about the difference between “safe” and “legal” when it comes to drinking water. Headlines about contaminants in drinking water can create confusion, especially when the utility says the water meets all state and federal standards.
The truth is, both statements can be true: regulations can come decades after scientific discoveries about safety, and the rulemaking process for drinking water balances health data with the cost and feasibility to treat water at municipal levels.
In my experience, once people understand a legal limit is a compromise, they start asking what is in their water and whether they want to reduce their risk.
What’s a water question you wish people would ask you more often?
“What is this filter certified to reduce?”
Instead of simply picking up a filter or assuming a filter addresses your specific need, look at the certification, as they are issued for individual contaminants. That means a filter that reduces chlorine taste may do nothing for lead, PFAS or nitrates. Every certified product has a Performance Data Sheet that lists exactly which contaminants it has been tested and certified to reduce by NSF, WQA or IAPMO.
If people asked that question first, they would be able to more accurately match the filter they buy to what they really need for their water.
