08/22/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/22/2024 11:06
During World Water Week from August 25−29, the Indian Health Service is hosting events across Indian Country to highlight successful projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and to recognize the importance of improving water and sanitation infrastructure in tribal communities. These events will also celebrate the 65th anniversary of the IHS Sanitation Facilities Construction Program (SFC) and its unique and successful history.
"We should be doing everything in our power to ensure all Americans have access to clean drinking water. The health and safety of our children, our families, and our communities depends on it," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. "The Biden-Harris Administration has made investments in critical infrastructure and pursued collaborative projects and partnerships with tribes to improve the health and wellbeing of Native people and communities. Working together, we will continue our efforts to bring clean drinking water, reliable sewage systems, and effective solid waste disposal facilities to tribal communities."
Over the last century, federal investments have been made to modernize water and sanitation systems in Native communities, however adequate sanitation facilities are still lacking in approximately 41,000 American Indian and Alaska Native homes, with more than 5,000 lacking access to a safe water supply and/or waste disposal facility. However, the IHS, through the SFC Program, continues to develop much-needed infrastructure across Indian Country.
"Having access to clean water is something that many take for granted, yet there are far too many communities across Indian Country that to this day do not have access to safe and reliable water and sanitation infrastructure," said IHS Director Roselyn Tso. "I have seen firsthand the impact of not having access to these essential services. It is a matter of public health, but it is also a matter of respect for our Native people. For 65 years, the Indian Health Service has played a leading role in improving water and sanitation services to our people, but with limited resources. This is why the Biden-Harris Administration's historic investment in this infrastructure is so important in improving overall well-being of our tribal communities."
The BIL, which appropriates $700 million in each fiscal year from FY 2022 through FY 2026 for the SFC Program, is an unprecedented investment in our nation's infrastructure and competitiveness, supporting crucial sanitation projects that will result in substantial improvements to clean water and sanitation systems in American Indian and Alaska Native communities across the country. Currently, over 800 BIL-funded SFC projects are in some state of implementation, ranging from procurement to construction to final report.
The IHS also continues to partner with federal agencies through the Infrastructure Task Force to work towards a shared goal of improving access to clean water and sanitation in communities across the country. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency works collaboratively with tribal governments, tribal utilities, and tribal members to regulate many utilities, provide technical assistance to support compliance and infrastructure development, and support technical capacities that promote sustainable operations. The goal is to improve access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation on tribal lands.
"EPA's partnership with IHS and other federal agencies through the Infrastructure Task Force is a primary example of how successful collaboration and leveraging can create impactful improvements in tribal communities," said EPA Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs Jane Nishida. "Access to clean and safe drinking water is a core component of EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment, and the infrastructure investments of the Biden-Harris Administration are making unprecedented progress possible in this area."
IHS World Water Week events include site visits to:
The site visits are a continuation of visits that took place throughout the year in support of water infrastructure projects in all 12 IHS areas.
The IHS launched an interactive website in 2023 to furnish insights into projects funded through the BIL. This dynamic platform will consistently offer updated information, encompassing project funding amounts, tribes served, homes impacted, and project statuses.
The nationwide Sanitation Facilities Construction Program is responsible for the delivery of environmental engineering services and sanitation facilities to American Indians and Alaska Natives, providing homes and communities with essential water supply, sewage disposal, and solid waste disposal facilities. The program provides technical and financial assistance to American Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages for cooperative development and construction of safe water, wastewater, and solid waste systems and related support facilities.
The IHS, an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 574 federally recognized tribes in 37 states. Follow the agency via social media on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.