USDA’s $1.2 million investment will bring clean water to tribes in northern Arizona from a reliable source.
Navajo County, Arizona — US Department of Agriculture will invest $1.2 million to expand access to clean water for many tribal communities in northern Arizona, the department said Thursday.
According to USDA, this is part of a $13 million investment to expand access to improved water infrastructure and expand economic opportunities for people in colonial, rural and tribal communities. used.
“It’s easy to take for granted access to water that has already been treated and comes from a free-flowing faucet,” said Charlene Fernandez, USDA Rural Development Arizona State Director. “But this is not the reality of many in rural Arizona. Fetching water is a daily activity for too many rural residents. It will be easier to use.”
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people carrying water must rely on unregulated and sometimes polluted water sources. Painted Desert Demonstration Projects Inc., A non-profit K-8 school serving Navajo families. Lack of clean water was a particular problem for the tribes at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Navajo citizens were unable to wash their hands and leaving their homes to carry water put them at risk of exposure to the virus.
According to USDA, the $1.2 million funding will allow the project to replace water storage tanks with a solar-powered water pump system on the Navajo and Hopi property. This will give residents access to point-of-service water stations rather than other unreliable water sources.
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The investment comes from the Biden-Harris administration’s continued efforts to improve the quality of life for people living in tribal and rural areas.
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