For generations, thousands of Navajo families have hauled water just to meet daily needs.
Roughly 41% of those who live on the Navajo Nation still haul water for themselves and their livestock. Between 30-40% of Navajo families lack running water in their homes to drink, cook or bathe.
That’s soon to change. A contract nearing $7.3 million has been issued to continue construction on the $2.2 billion Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project that will make water accessible to many families.
The contract is funded through a combination of the State of New Mexico, Navajo Nation Sihasin, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation money.
The Navajo-Gallup pipeline is a federal initiative to deliver clean municipal and industrial water from the San Juan River Basin to the eastern Navajo Nation, the southwestern Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the city of Gallup.
When done, it will consist of about 300 miles of pipeline, 19 pumping plants and two water treatment plants, and is built to serve some 250,000 people for the next 40 years.
The latest phase of construction will be completed by Navajo Engineering and Construction Authority, a Navajo Nation enterprise with extensive experience building water infrastructure. Construction of the entire project began in 2012.
To stay on schedule, the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources used a sole-source contract with NECA because of the company’s extensive experience. NECA has built approximately 98% of existing water infrastructure in the area and has successfully completed similar projects to federal and tribal standards.
About 100 miles of pipeline is already installed. Water delivery is expected to begin in 2028.
Leaders say this approach helps reduce risk, avoid delays and will ensure the project is completed efficiently.
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