The Hopi Tribe is celebrating the completion of the Hopi Arsenic Mitigation Project. The project was created in 2010 to address high levels of arsenic in the Tribe’s drinking water supply.
The Navajo-Hopi Observer reports arsenic contamination has been happening since the 1960’s when the Bureau of Indian Affairs originally installed the Tribe’s drinking water system.
Hopi leaders are working with several agencies to address the problem, including the tribal Utilities Corporation, Indian Health Services, the BIA and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The mitigation project focuses on increasing safe water access by drilling new wells, adding water main extensions and increasing the area of pumped water, among other things. The project is currently working to extend water availabilitity in Keams Canyon.
A celebration of the mitigation project is planned Sunday July 30th at the Hopi Veterans Memorial Center, with a 10K run at 6:00 a.m., a ceremony at 9:00 a.m. and lunch at noon.