“Water Is Life”

Growing up, Emma Robbins spent weekends at her grandparents’ house in Cameron, Arizona. Their home, on the Navajo Nation, did not have electricity, an indoor toilet, or even a working sink. 

That meant her grandparents frequently had to drive many miles to outdoor public faucets to collect water in plastic containers. They tried to make every drop last, portioning out what they needed for washing, cooking, and drinking. 

Growing up, Emma Robbins spent weekends at her grandparents’ house in Cameron, Arizona. Their home was in the Navajo Nation. It did not have electricity, an indoor toilet, or a working sink.

That meant her grandparents often had to drive many miles to outdoor public faucets. There, they collected water in plastic containers. They tried to make every drop last. They portioned out what they needed for washing, cooking, and drinking.

Robbins didn’t question what her grandparents had to go through to get water, even though her parents’ home, in a more populated area of the Navajo reservation just 30 miles away, had indoor plumbing. She knew that tens of thousands of Navajo families lived like her grandparents, without running water. 

“When you grow up on the reservation, you don’t see it as a problem, because so many of us don’t have it,” says Robbins, now 34. 

But when she moved to Chicago, Illinois, for college, Robbins was shocked. Water—the resource that her grandparents spent so much time trying to access and conserve—was abundant. An endless stream flowed on demand from every faucet. People didn’t seem to think twice about how much they used or where it came from.  

“I started to understand the injustice,” Robbins says. “It’s not OK to not have running water and electricity in your home in this day and age in one of the richest countries in world history.” 

Robbins lived in a more populated area of the Navajo reservation just 30 miles away. Her parents’ home had indoor plumbing. Still, she did not question what her grandparents had to do to get water. She knew that tens of thousands of Navajo families lived like her grandparents, without running water.

“When you grow up on the reservation, you don’t see it as a problem, because so many of us don’t have it,” says Robbins, now 34.

But when she moved to Chicago, Illinois, for college, Robbins was shocked. Water, which her grandparents spent so much time trying to get and conserve, was abundant. An endless stream flowed on demand from every faucet. People did not seem to think twice about how much they used or where it came from.

“I started to understand the injustice,” Robbins says. “It’s not OK to not have running water and electricity in your home in this day and age in one of the richest countries in world history.”

Yet today, at least 1 in 5 Navajo people—about 37,000 individuals—lack running water, according to the Navajo Nation Covid-19 Water Access Coordination Group. (Some experts put that estimate as high as 1 in 3.) Like Robbins’s grandparents, many have to travel long distances for water just to meet their basic needs. 

The situation takes a heavy mental and financial toll on families. People without running water constantly think about how much water they use, how much they have left, and how and where they will get more. Some must drive for hours to get it—weekly or even daily—so they end up spending a lot of money on gas. 

Cameron resident Shanna Yazzie drives 25 to 40 miles to get drinking water for her family of four. They use about 275 gallons of water a month. “We are very careful,” she says. “When we wash dishes, we use four to six cups of hot water, and we’ve learned how to take really quick showers.”

Yet today, at least 1 in 5 Navajo people lack running water—about 37,000 individuals. That is according to the Navajo Nation Covid-19 Water Access Coordination Group. (Some experts put that estimate as high as 1 in 3.) Like Robbins’s grandparents, many have to travel long distances for water to meet their basic needs.

The situation takes a heavy mental and financial toll on families. People without running water constantly think about how much water they use and how much they have left. They think about how and where they will get more. Some must drive for hours every week or even every day to get it. They spend a lot of money on gas.

Shanna Yazzie also lives in Cameron. She drives 25 to 40 miles to get drinking water for her family of four. They use about 275 gallons of water a month. “We are very careful,” she says. “When we wash dishes, we use four to six cups of hot water, and we’ve learned how to take really quick showers.”

Lack of running water is also a public health issue. Without it, people are more likely to rely on springs or ponds that haven’t been tested to ensure they’re safe to drink from. 

And during the Covid-19 pandemic, many Navajo people have been forced to gather in public places to get water, increasing their risk of getting sick. (More than 1,200 people on the reservation have died from Covid-19.) Moreover, handwashing with soap and water is one of the simplest ways to help prevent the spread of that and other diseases. But how can people even do that, Robbins points out, when they barely have water?

It’s a problem that she, her fellow Navajo members, and others are racing to solve. “Water is life,” Robbins says. “We need to start thinking about it that way.”

Lack of running water is also a public health issue. People without running water are more likely to rely on springs or ponds that have not been tested to ensure they are safe to drink from.

And during the Covid-19 pandemic, many Navajo people have been forced to gather in public places to get water. That increases their risk of getting sick. (More than 1,200 people on the reservation have died from Covid-19.) Moreover, handwashing with soap and water is one of the simplest ways to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other diseases. But how can people do that, Robbins points out, when they barely have water?

It is a problem that she, her fellow Navajo members, and others are racing to solve. “Water is life,” Robbins says. “We need to start thinking about it that way.”

For many Americans, water seems like an endless resource. But more than 2 million people in the U.S. do not have running water or basic indoor plumbing (see “Understanding the U.S. Water Gap,” below).

For many Americans, water seems like an endless resource. But more than 2 million people in the U.S. do not have running water or basic indoor plumbing. (See “Understanding the U.S. Water Gap,” below.)

Navajo families are 67 times more likely than other Americans to live that way. One reason for the inequality is that Indigenous communities have long faced discrimination. When the U.S. government invested heavily in public water systems 100 years ago, for example, it excluded many poor, immigrant, and tribal communities.

Geography also plays a role, experts say. Most U.S. water systems are run by city or county water departments. The departments draw water from lakes, rivers, and groundwater. Then they test and treat the liquid to make it safe for consumption. Finally, they pump it into houses through a series of pipes known as water lines.

Navajo families are 67 times more likely than other Americans to live that way. One reason for the inequality is that Indigenous communities have long faced discrimination. For example, the U.S. government invested heavily in public water systems 100 years ago. But it left out many poor, immigrant, and tribal communities.

Geography also plays a role, experts say. Most U.S. water systems are run by city or county water departments. The departments draw water from lakes, rivers, and groundwater. They test and treat it to make it safe for use. Finally, they pump it into houses through pipes known as water lines.

The more urban areas of the Navajo Nation are serviced this way. But much of the reservation, which spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, is rugged and sparsely populated. Providing safe drinking water and basic sanitation in all homes on the 27,000-square-mile reservation would cost more than $700 million, according to the Indian Health Service (IHS), a U.S. government agency. 

That price tag isn’t the only financial challenge, adds David Harvey of the IHS. Many of the homes are far apart, so a single water system might serve very few of them. And the fewer homes that a water system reaches, the higher the costs tend to be for customers. “The rates would probably be above the levels that people in these locations could afford to pay,” Harvey explains.

The more urban areas of the Navajo Nation are serviced this way. But the reservation is 27,000 square miles, spanning parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Much of it is rugged and sparsely populated. Providing safe drinking water and basic sanitation in all homes there would cost more than $700 million. That is according to the Indian Health Service (IHS), a U.S. government agency.

That price tag is not the only financial challenge, adds David Harvey of the IHS. Many of the homes are far apart, so a single water system might serve very few of them. And the fewer homes that a water system reaches, the higher the costs tend to be for customers. “The rates would probably be above the levels that people in these locations could afford to pay,” Harvey explains.

Throughout the U.S., people who live far from city or county water lines often get their water from wells. But digging for groundwater or relying on aboveground springs and ponds isn’t always a safe option on the Navajo reservation, Robbins says. 

In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has warned that unregulated drinking water sources are the greatest public health risk on the reservation. 

Throughout the U.S., people who live far from city or county water lines often get water from wells. But digging for groundwater or relying on aboveground springs and ponds is not always safe on the Navajo reservation, Robbins says.

In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has warned that unregulated drinking water sources are the greatest public health risk on the reservation.

The U.S. operated more than 500 uranium mines on the land over four decades. Although the mining stopped in 1986, some of the natural water sources remain contaminated with uranium and arsenic. Both substances can be dangerous—and even deadly—if consumed. And they’re difficult to detect without special equipment. 

But when the nearest regularly tested and treated water source is dozens of miles away—or farther—some people end up taking their chances. 

One Navajo elder, Velma,* lacked water in her home for many years. She and her husband were constantly driving to her sister’s house to get their water for drinking, washing, and cleaning. But one time, when they couldn’t, Velma recalls, they “had no choice but to get water from a pond for animals.” 

The U.S. operated more than 500 uranium mines on the land over four decades. The mining stopped in 1986. But some of the natural water sources remain contaminated with uranium and arsenic. Both substances can be dangerous, even deadly, if consumed. And they are difficult to detect without special equipment.

But when the nearest regularly tested and treated water source is dozens of miles away or more, some people take their chances.

One Navajo elder, Velma,* lacked water in her home for many years. She and her husband were constantly driving to her sister’s house to get water for drinking, washing, and cleaning. But one time, they could not. So, Velma recalls, they “had no choice but to get water from a pond for animals.”

The Navajo Water Project is one effort aimed at solving the crisis—a single household at a time. Robbins is the program’s director. Run by the nonprofit DigDeep, the Navajo Water Project brings running water to families who live far from existing water lines and have difficulty transporting their own water. 

Many of the Navajo Water Project’s staff, including Shanna Yazzie, are Navajo and live on the reservation. The group buries a 1,200-gallon refillable water tank in each participating family’s yard, installs a sink in the home, and runs plumbing to connect the two. A pump pushes the water from the tank into the house. A water truck refills the tank monthly. If a family doesn’t have electricity, the Navajo Water Project also installs a solar-powered unit to run the pump. 

Since 2014, the group has provided hot and cold running water indoors to nearly 300 Navajo households, including Velma’s. She remembers crying tears of joy the first time she turned on the water.

The Navajo Water Project is one effort aimed at solving the crisis, one household at a time. Robbins its director. The program is run by the nonprofit DigDeep. It brings running water to families who live far from existing water lines and have difficulty transporting their own water.

Many of the Navajo Water Project’s staff are Navajo and live on the reservation. That includes Shanna Yazzie. The group buries a 1,200-gallon refillable water tank in each participating family’s yard. It installs a sink in the home and runs plumbing to connect the two. A pump pushes the water from the tank into the house. A water truck refills the tank monthly. If a family lacks electricity, the Navajo Water Project installs a solar-powered unit to run the pump.

Since 2014, the group has provided hot and cold running water indoors to nearly 300 Navajo households. That includes Velma’s. She remembers crying tears of joy the first time she turned on the water.

At the same time, the Navajo government, the IHS, and other groups have been working to connect existing water lines to more homes. The goal is to one day provide water access to everyone, so that no one has to haul water, Harvey says. 

The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority recently extended a water line to reach Victoria Badonie’s house. She had lived for years without running water, regularly driving her grandchildren more than a mile so they could shower in water from a groundwater pipe. 

When Badonie found out she was getting running water, she couldn’t believe it. That first night, she and her grandchildren stayed up late reveling in the water. They washed everything they could and showered at home for the first time.

At the same time, the Navajo government, the IHS, and other groups have been working to connect existing water lines to more homes. The goal is to one day provide water access to everyone, so no one has to haul water, Harvey says.

The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority recently extended a water line to reach Victoria Badonie’s house. She had lived for years without running water. She regularly would drive her grandchildren more than a mile so they could shower in water from a groundwater pipe.

When Badonie found out she was getting running water, she could not believe it. That first night, she and her grandchildren stayed up late reveling in the water. They washed everything they could. They showered at home for the first time.

When the pandemic started in early 2020, however, some of the progress was halted. Employees of the Navajo Water Project, for example, could no longer enter homes to install plumbing. And with limited access to regular handwashing, local cases of Covid-19 soared. Last spring, the reservation experienced a higher rate of the disease per person than anywhere else in the United States. 

The Navajo Water Project team switched gears, distributing more than 261,000 gallons of bottled water to help meet immediate needs. Meanwhile, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez appealed directly to the U.S. government for aid. 

“A single spigot on a desolate road, miles from any residence, services 900 people,” he testified before members of Congress last June. Nez helped secure $5 million in federal Covid-19 relief funding to help increase water access. 

With the money, the IHS installed 59 temporary public water access points—more than doubling the reservation’s total. The water at those points is regularly tested and treated for safety.

But when the pandemic started in early 2020, some of the progress stopped. For example, employees of the Navajo Water Project could no longer enter homes to install plumbing. With limited access to regular handwashing, local cases of Covid-19 soared. Last spring, the reservation experienced a higher rate of the disease per person than anywhere else in the U.S.

So the Navajo Water Project team switched gears. It gave out more than 261,000 gallons of bottled water to help meet immediate needs. Meanwhile, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez appealed directly to the U.S. government for aid.

“A single spigot on a desolate road, miles from any residence, services 900 people,” Nez testified before members of Congress last June. He helped get $5 million in federal Covid-19 relief funding to help increase water access.

With the money, the IHS installed 59 temporary public water access points. That more than doubled the reservation’s total. The water at those points is regularly tested and treated for safety.

The water access points were placed strategically to reduce how far people needed to go to get safe water. Before, the average family traveled about an hour round-trip, Harvey says. Now, it takes 20 to 25 minutes. Shaving down the distance was important, Harvey says. “That’s someone’s time and also expense in gasoline and wear and tear on your vehicle.”

The federal funding is covering up to two years’ worth of water fees, so families can get water for household activities for free at the access points. It is also paying for up to 37,000 five-gallon water storage containers, one for each individual living in a home without running water. In addition, families are receiving free water-disinfection tablets to ensure that the water they get from the public water access points remains safe, even if it sits for a while in containers before being used.

Harvey hopes that the renewed focus on solving the reservation’s water issues will continue long after the pandemic. “This was an opportunity to try to do something immediate to address the problem but also to kind of leave a longstanding relationship to move this forward and address it,” he says.

The water access points were purposely placed to reduce how far people needed to go to get safe water. Before, the average family traveled about an hour round-trip, Harvey says. Now it takes 20 to 25 minutes. Shaving down the distance was important, Harvey says. “That’s someone’s time and also expense in gasoline and wear and tear on your vehicle.”

The federal funding is covering up to two years’ worth of water fees. That means families can get water for household activities for free at the access points. It is also paying for up to 37,000 five-gallon water storage containers. That is one for each individual in a home without running water. In addition, families are receiving free water-disinfection tablets to ensure that the water they get from the public water access points remains safe, even if it sits for a while in containers before being used.

Harvey hopes that the renewed focus on solving the reservation’s water issues will continue long after the pandemic. “This was an opportunity to try to do something immediate to address the problem but also to kind of leave a longstanding relationship to move this forward and address it,” he says.

Robbins shares those goals. She is eager to get the Navajo Water Project team back into people’s homes to continue installing running water once it is safe to do so. In the meantime, the group has set up hundreds of 275-gallon water tanks with outdoor handwashing stations for families. 

It has also installed smaller versions of its original systems, which can be modified to provide indoor water after the pandemic. Robbins hopes future systems will also include toilets. 

The work is personal for her and her team. “The communities that we work in, I see my family in them,” Robbins says. “A grandma or grandpa or elder should not have to worry about hauling water. We should be taking care of them.”

But, she adds, you don’t need to be local to help make a difference. Just being more mindful that water is a precious resource is an important step, Robbins says. 

Everyone should use and conserve water carefully, agrees Velma, the Navajo elder. “Water in the Navajo way is very sacred,” she explains. “We don’t waste it, we don’t abuse it, and we don’t take it for granted. We cherish it tremendously.”

Robbins shares those goals. She is eager to get the Navajo Water Project team back into people’s homes to continue installing running water once it is safe to do so. In the meantime, the group has set up hundreds of 275-gallon water tanks with outdoor handwashing stations for families.

It has also installed smaller versions of its original systems. These can be modified to provide indoor water after the pandemic. Robbins hopes future systems will include toilets.

The work is personal for her and her team. “The communities that we work in, I see my family in them,” Robbins says. “A grandma or grandpa or elder should not have to worry about hauling water. We should be taking care of them.”

But, she adds, you do not need to be local to help make a difference. Just being more mindful that water is a precious resource is an important step, Robbins says.

Everyone should use and conserve water carefully, agrees Velma, the Navajo elder. “Water in the Navajo way is very sacred,” she explains. “We don’t waste it, we don’t abuse it, and we don’t take it for granted. We cherish it tremendously.”