Contact Superfund, Pacific Southwest
Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Addressing Uranium Contamination
in the Navajo Nation
Contaminated Water Sources
EPA is working with the Navajo Nation, federal agencies, and community organizations to ensure that Navajo families do not drink water that is contaminated with uranium or other heavy metals. All regulated water sources on the reservation are regularly tested and meet the drinking water standards.
Navajo Nation EPA estimates that up to 30% of its population is not served by a public water system. This represents approximately 54,000 people. These residents either haul water from unregulated sources, such as livestock wells, springs, or private wells, or from regulated watering points. The number of unregulated water sources is not known, but is estimated to be in the low thousands.
Navajo Nation policy prohibits the use of these unregulated sources for human consumption, nevertheless, interviews with Navajo residents have shown that the practice continues and is widespread due to lack of suitable water sources in the more remote regions of the Navajo Nation. The use of unregulated water sources represents the greatest public health risk associated with drinking water for the Navajo Nation.
Since 2006 EPA and Center for Disease Control sampled over 235 regulated water sources. Of these, 28 were found to exceed standards for radionuclides. The water from most of these sources is being used for human consumption. Most are located within 10 miles of a safe alternative supply.
EPA and its local partners are posting advisory signs (PDF) (1 pg, 355K) at contaminated water sources and issuing health advisories (PDF) (2 pp, 183K) to affected residents, including radio announcements in English and Navajo language. With EPA funding, Navajo Nation EPA hired a circuit rider to provide door-to-door assistance to water users wherever needed. EPA and its partners have conducted outreach on unregulated water sources to 20 Navajo chapters. EPA and the Indian Health Service will work with other agencies to find alternative water sources where possible.
IHS completed an EPA-supported water service improvement project to assist Black Falls area residents impacted by four contaminated wells. EPA also awarded a $20,000 Environmental Justice grant to the non-profit Forgotten People to identify practical and effective solutions, such as exterior elevated water tanks, for families living in the Black Falls area that do not have direct access to piped water. Forgotten People is working together with IHS, local businesses, Navajo Nation EPA and others to plan and implement a community-based water project to provide homes with safe drinking water.
In addition, EPA has committed $8.8 million in 2009-10 for the construction of instructure to serve 200 homes that lack piped water in the vicinity of six contaminated water sources in the Black Falls, Dennehotso, and the Sweetwater areas, and to implement a water hauling feasibility study and pilot program to serve up to 3,000 homes.
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