Utah’s Westwater community celebrates access to clean drinking water

BLANDING, Utah (ABC4) — Utah and Navajo Nation leaders are celebrating access to clean, running drinking water in the Westwater community.

The celebration marks the completion of the Westwater Drinking Water Project — the second phase of a two-part effort in Westwater — after bringing electricity to the community in Sept. 2022.

“For more than a century, the people of Westwater have lived, worked, and contributed to this community. All without running water or electricity,” said Lieutenant Governor Deidre M. Henderson. “Three years ago, with the help of the people of Utah and the Navajo Nation, we turned the lights on. And today, we celebrate what was once thought impossible — running water for every household in Westwater.”

Funding for Westwater, located just outside Blanding in southeast Utah, included $5.5 million from the Navajo Nation, $3.5 million from the State of Utah from ARPA funding, and funding from State Drinking Water Loan Funds and Navajo Nation ARPA and EPA funding. Additionally, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also provided $500,000 for the electricity project, which, in turn, paved the way for future utility work.

According to the State, specific roles were given out to the agencies involved in the development: The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority would own and operate the Westwater system and oversee construction and design, San Juan County would act as the fiscal agent, and Blanding would supply drinking water, as well as oversee the design and construction for the
Blanding Project — including a deep-water well with arsenic treatment.

“For just over two years, the residents of Westwater have experienced the transformative power
of having electricity in their homes,” said U.S. Representative Mike Kennedy. “Now, thanks to the hard work of the Navajo Nation and a coalition of dedicated partners, these families can finally access clean, running water at home. It was an honor to stand alongside them in celebration of this long-overdue milestone.”

While the goal to bring clean, running water and electricity to Westwater has been fulfilled, efforts are ongoing to find long-term wastewater solutions for the community.