T129 Respectful Approaches in Geoscience Contexts for Supporting Indigenous Communities

Monday, 23 September 2024
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
209B

SOLUTIONS TO A LACK OF ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER ON THE NAVAJO NATION

Paper number: T129-12
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 4:05 PM – 4:20 PM

Authors

Abstract

This presentation will put a human face on Navajo people for whom access to clean water is a struggle, often with deadly consequences. Forgotten People works to ensure access to clean water in a remote western region of the Navajo Nation. Extreme poverty, industrial contamination and decades-long U.S. governmental policies prohibiting infrastructure development have limited options for obtaining clean water. Navajo Nation residents are 67 times more likely than other Americans to live without running water, and the cost of hauling water is at least 70 times more expensive than piped supply. Over 40% of the population lives in poverty with 19% in extreme poverty. Uranium contamination and a subsistence lifestyle herding sheep elevate exposure to deadly toxins that can cause neuropathy and a range of cancers. For many people, the only option is unsafe water from livestock wells, uranium-contaminated groundwater or improvised storage systems.

Building on successful pilot projects last summer, Forgotten People and its project partners will expand the delivery of hauled water with a 1,600-gallon water trailer together with additional rainwater harvesting systems in selected sites. These employ an innovative low-tech approach to eliminate chemical and microbial contamination. The revolutionary filtration system developed by Global Access 2030 will ensure that consumed water is safe for sanitation, hygiene and even for drinking. Our initial surveys showed that harvested monsoon rainwater is free of dust-borne uranium and arsenic contamination.

These people will hopefully touch the heart of the scientific community to see the unsustainable and deadly legacy of resource extraction. Working in indigenous communities presents unique challenges, yet collaboration between scientific, academic and grassroots organizations can transform challenges into solutions. Building trust, respect for cultural sensitivities along with community liaisons and translators is crucial. Success also hinges on community involvement; without it, external efforts can falter.

Forgotten People’s key project partners Water Resource Action Project, Navajo Technical University, Native American Emergency Relief, GA 2030 and other supporting national organizations and corporate sponsors, demonstrate that with respect and collaboration even the most difficult obstacles can be overcome.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 56, No. 5

doi: 10.1130/abs/2024AM-401769

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