Water Is K'é:
Community Science Project
About The
Project
This project will address a long-standing community concern through a community learning opportunity, helping to answer, "IS MY WATER SAFE?". For the past 75 years, uranium and coal mining has led to land and water contamination, eroding trust in public water sources. According to the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources, it is estimated that 30% of people on the Navajo Nation lack access to running water. For those that have access to tap water, there are still concerns about how safe the water is coming out of their tap water. Despite the slow improvements of water infrastructure on the rural reservation, Navajo communities have been chronically concerned about the safety of their household and outdoor water sources.
What We
Are Doing
We are recruiting 6 students, 2 from each work site in the four corners region. Guided by 3 site mentors and 3 project scientists, the youth will learn to carry out the scientific inquiry of water collection, understand the results, and use the information to promote and increase access to clean water in their communities.
We will work at 3 sites
-
Bluff, Utah
-
Red Mesa, Arizona
-
Teec Nos Pos, Arizona
Each site will recruit 2 students to help answer the questions "IS MY WATER SAFE"
In this 4-month project, all 6 students will:
-
Receive training on water and health
-
Diné teachings about water
-
Principles of water collection and testing
At the end of the project, students will report their findings back to the community.
