288-8 Successful installation of a community-level water filtration system to address groundwater contamination in the Navajo Nation

Session: Indigenous Teaching and Research in the Geosciences: Approaches to Indigenizing Geoscience Across Multiple Contexts

Presenting Author:

ABHISHEK ROYCHOWDHURY

Authors:

ROYCHOWDHURY, ABHISHEK¹, Wilson, Darlene², Largo, Randy³, Frey, Bonnie⁴, Sturgis, Laila⁵, YU, Jianjia⁶, Tsosie, Ranalda⁷, Woolsey, Emily⁸, Byrom, John⁹

(1) Natural and Applied Sciences, Bentley University, Waltham, MA, USA, (2) Environmental Science and Natural Resources, Navajo Technical University, Crownpoint, NM, USA, (3) Environmental Science and Natural Resources, Navajo Technical University, Crownpoint, NM, USA, (4) New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources, Socorro, NM, USA, (5) New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources, Socorro, NM, USA, (6) Chemical Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, USA, (7) Department of Earth & Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, USA, (8) INTERA, Albuquerque, NM, USA, (9) Process Equipment & Service Company Inc., Farmington, NM, USA,

Abstract:

The Navajo Nation is the largest land area owned by a federally recognized Native American Tribe in the United States. The Navajo Nation covers an area of more than 27,000 square miles in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. One of the most pressing problems Navajo people face is access to clean and safe water resources, stemming from two main issues: 1) The Navajo Nation has a long history of mining activities, including mining for gold, copper, lead, silver since the mid-1800s, uranium since early 1900s, and coal since 1960s, resulting in large areas of abandoned mine sites. In addition to naturally high levels of metals in groundwater, mining activities resulted in extended areas with soil, water, and air pollution. 2) Nearly one-third of the Nation does not have access to a public water supply and rely on water hauled from unregulated wells and springs, many of which have elevated metal levels.

Since 2020, the Navajo Technical University (NTU) - New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT) Navajo Nation Water Purification Project (N⁴WPP) is addressing water contamination issues in Navajo communities. N⁴WPP is a comprehensive collaboration focusing on research, education, outreach, and workforce development among NTU, NMT, and industry partner Process Equipment & Service Company Inc. (PESCO), with numerous smaller partnerships on specific aspects of the project. Since its inception, this project started trust-building exercises with local Navajo communities, tribal government, tribal agencies, Navajo chapter houses, and state and federal agencies. This project revolves around a common Navajo philosophy: Tó éí ííná (water is life). The first successful deployment of a 500-gallon-per-day, community-level, water filtration system took place in the Becenti Chapter located in the eastern Navajo agency in northwestern New Mexico. The filtration system uses cross-linked polyvinylidene fluoride (CPVDF) hollow-fiber membranes that can effectively remove salt, nutrients like nitrates and phosphates, metals and any other inorganic constituents from the contaminated groundwater. The treated water from this system will be given to the community members initially for livestock management, irrigation, and other non-consumptive use, and eventually developed for drinking purposes.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-9517

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