The Environmental Protection Agency has reached two settlements with the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority over two wastewater treatment plants that weren’t in compliance with federal law.
In 2021, an EPA inspection showed that facilities in Window Rock and Shiprock, New Mexico operated by NTUA discharged water that exceeded permitted levels of E. coli and didn’t and violated the Clean Water Act.
Treated sewage from the Shiprock plant flows into the San Juan River, and in Window Rock the water is channeled into Black Creek.
The facilities serve a combined 13,000 people on the reservation, and the EPA says wastewater with high concentrations of E. coli threatens public health.
Under the settlements, NTUA will work to improve operation and maintenance of the UV disinfection systems at the plants.
NTUA is a not-for-profit enterprise of the Navajo Nation created to develop utility infrastructure on the reservation.