EPA and Hopi Tribe Resolve Long Standing Drinking Water Challenges
The Hopi Tribe and federal agencies have resolved drinking water issues, ensuring safe arsenic-compliant water for 6,400 residents through a $25 million infrastructure project.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Nov 20, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the termination of administrative orders related to arsenic-contaminated drinking water on the Hopi Reservation in Navajo County, Arizona. This marks a significant milestone in improving access to safe drinking water for approximately 6,400 residents of the Hopi Tribe.
According to a recent release, this follows decades of collaboration among the EPA, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Hopi Tribe. The New Regional Water System, operated by the Hopi Utilities Corporation, now supplies water that meets federal arsenic standards to First Mesa Consolidated Villages; the Villages of Sipaulovi, Shungopavi, and Mishongnovi; and the Hopi Cultural Center.
"EPA is committed to protecting the health of tribal members," EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman said in a statement. "It is essential that water systems, particularly those responsible for providing drinking water to tribal communities, adhere to safety standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act."
Previously, water arsenic levels in the affected communities ranged from 12 to 35 milligrams per liter (mg/L), exceeding the federal standard of 10 mg/L. Administrative orders issued to address the noncompliance led to a $25 million infrastructure investment by federal and tribal partners. The new system ensures water quality while reducing operating costs, easing the maintenance burden for village systems, and providing capacity for future growth.
To safeguard the water quality of the new system, the EPA required the Hopi Cultural Center and villages to permanently disconnect from their old water sources.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor for Environmental Protection.