The Hopi Tribe is set to benefit from $8.72 million in funding for the Hopi Arsenic Management Project in Arizona.

The Hopi project is part of a larger $10.65 million Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investment announced today by the Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary Newland.  The funding is for repairs and upgrades for Indian Affairs-owned water systems. These systems serve Tribal workplaces, schools, detention centers and more.

“Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, historic investments in Tribal water infrastructure will help ensure every community has access to safe, clean drinking water,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “This critical funding in water sanitation and water systems will facilitate much-needed repairs and upgrades for Tribal water systems, supporting our efforts to safeguard sacred water resources and water rights in Indigenous communities.”

These funds will be used to address Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notice of violations, contamination issues, critical risks of system failure, and other system upgrades as needed.
The Hopi Arsenic Management Project funding will cover infrastructure upgrades necessary to connect three Bureau of Indian Affairs-owned water systems with the regional water system funded by the Indian Health Service and EPA. This investment is critical to address naturally occurring elevated arsenic concentrations in the groundwater wells of three water systems.

Additional funding includes:

• $1.05 million for the Nez Perce Northern Idaho Water System to replace the current water storage and distribution system. This investment is critical to address widespread deficiencies and deteriorated infrastructure that resulted in an emergency order from the EPA on the water system in 2018.
• $880,000 for Columbia River In-lieu Treaty Fishing Sites to cover engineering and design services for infrastructure upgrades needed to address water sanitation and contribute to the progress being made on projects authorized under the Columbia River In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites Improvement Act.