INTRODUCTION 

The Navajo Nation, whose initial borders were created in 1868 by a treaty with the United States government, is home to 170,000 people—more than half of the tribe’s registered members.ⁱ There are several small cities within the reservation; however, much of the area is rural in character. Through the creation of the reservation’s boundaries, and subsequent legal and political decisions, the US has contributed significantly to modern issues of water access and equity on the reservation.

The Navajo Nation is situated in the Colorado River basin and the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States, where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico converge (see Map A). It is bordered by the San Juan and Colorado Rivers and covers over 27,000 square miles (roughly three times the size of New Jersey).^ii,iii The reservation is governed by the Navajo Nation tribal government; the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority regulates much of the area’s infrastructure, including water utilities. The Hopi Nation is encompassed within the borders of the Navajo Nation and operates under its own tribal government; many of the water scarcity and environmental justice issues discussed in this post impact the Hopi Nation as well.^iv

EXISTING CONDITIONS 

Infrastructure 

Water infrastructure in the Navajo Nation is largely comprised of distributed and informal systems of wells, with some formal, centralized systems in more populous areas. This informality can be problematic in the context of widespread contamination of groundwater: there is no centralized system of testing which wells are potable, which can lead to residents consuming contaminated water. 

Construction of new water treatment plants is underway in Shiprock (in conjunction with the $2.2 billion Navajo-Gallup water pipeline), Tuba City, Chinle, and Kayenta.^v,vi,vii During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Navajo Nation also received and spent nearly $82 million in CARES Act and ARPA funds on water projects.^viii,ix This influx of infrastructure funds has supported the upgrading and expansion of the formal infrastructure systems in the Navajo Nation; however, the water system is still very fragmented, and many of the water issues that residents of the Navajo Nation face have not been fully addressed.^x

Financing

The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority assesses water service fees to its residential, commercial, and industrial customers. In addition to the utility revenues that fund its operational costs, NTUA’s capital funds primarily come from the Navajo Nation and various federal agencies, legislative appropriations, and programs.^xi The EPA also funds the Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Funding, which provides water infrastructure funding to tribal governments.^xii

Climate and Natural Resources

The Navajo Nation is an arid area with most of its precipitation occurring during its annual monsoon season.^xiii,xiv The San Juan and Colorado Rivers provide surface water to many parts of the southwestern United States; however, the Navajo Nation has largely been excluded from using these surface water resources by the 1922 Colorado River Compact, despite having a constitutional right to sufficient water. Because of this political scarcity, water in the nation is primarily sourced from aquifers. Recent legal settlements and re-adjudication of water rights among the Compact states have resulted in some rights being conferred to the Navajo Nation, although this is not yet reflected in the Navajo Nation’s water portfolio.^xv,xvi

ISSUES

The Navajo Nation faces many challenges in providing water resources. Molle and Mollinga articulate five categories of water scarcity which provide a useful framework for quantifying water challenges: 

1. Physical scarcity, which refers to the environmental availability of water; 

2. Economic scarcity, in which a lack of adequate time, labor, or funds contributes to the lack of water; 

3. Managerial scarcity, which refers to the management and maintenance of water or other systems;  

4. Institutional scarcity, which results from inadequate institutions to manage or address an issue, imbalance, or needed technological innovation; and 

5. Political scarcity, which refers to scarcity arising from political subordination.^xvii 

The diagram above (see Image 1) illustrates some of the water challenges in the Navajo Nation organized according to Molle and Mollinga’s framework; for much of this post we will focus on what we identify as three critical issues that impact water accessibility for Navajo Nation residents: lack of physical infrastructure, service gaps in the utility system (and the resulting long drive times), and uranium contamination from mining activity. 

Lack of Physical Infrastructure

As of 2020, approximately 30% of homes on the Navajo Nation do not have piped water, impacting an estimated population of 37,000 people.^xviii The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) operates five water hauling stations; however, most pickup stations are operated by local NGOs and non-profit organizations.^xix Many residents in rural areas of the Navajo Nation retrieve water from wells rather than pickup stations, which are often less regulated.  

Flash floods occur frequently on the reservation during monsoon season; these floods can lead to roads, paved and unpaved, being washed out, leaving people stranded and sometimes without water access.^xx Restoring road access can sometimes take days, given the size of the reservation. 

Service Gaps and Long Drive Times

While in most cases there is no monetary fee associated with hauled water, residents assume costs due to their labor (driving time) and supplies (such as gas, car maintenance, etc.). As can be seen in Map B, drive times to wells with potable drinking water vary greatly depending on the area. Using the assumptions in Appendix 1, a family of four living 15 minutes away from a well would spend a minimum of 90 hours a year hauling water. However, as can be seen in Map B, most of the reservation is greater than 15 minutes from a well. A family of the same size living a 90-minute one-way drive from the closest well would spend 240 hours annually hauling water. These estimates do not factor in the time spent waiting for a pump to be available, which can compound the time involved to haul water.

The longest drive time calculated in Map B is 90 minutes; however, much of the northern region is not covered by this time, meaning families would need to drive for even longer if they lived in this area to access potable water.

Uranium Contamination

While there are several aquifers that run below the Navajo Nation, much of the groundwater has been contaminated by extensive mining activity.^xxi During WWII, the US government used the Navajo Nation to mine uranium; today, there are approximately 500 abandoned mines on the reservation.^xxii The federal government did not adequately enforce remediation standards for mine operators, which has contributed to political water scarcity in the region.^xxiii The U.S. Department of Energy also manages four uranium waste disposal sites in the Navajo Nation, which are not currently monitored for contamination of groundwater occurring from stormwater runoff.^xxiv Several of the NGOs operating in the Navajo Nation provide resources on accessing safe water for household drinking and agricultural uses.^xxv Some data regarding well contamination levels (of uranium, arsenic, and other heavy metals) is also available online;^xxvi however, there is no comprehensive groundwater contamination testing and monitoring program on the reservation at this time.

SOLUTIONS

The solutions we propose intend to address the social equity issues inherent in the current water challenges of the Navajo Nation by reducing drive times for households that haul water. Due to the size and varied nature of the reservation, we have identified a combination of interventions to address these households and water users, which correspond to the geographic areas identified on Map C: 

• Targeted road maintenance and construction 

• Creating surface water pipelines and pickup points 

• Solar-powered reverse osmosis treatment 

• Uranium contamination monitoring and treatment 

 
The major objectives of these interventions are to: 

• Reduce drive times for households in areas with over 90-minute one-way drive times from potable wells 

• Improve the maintenance of major roads needed to access wells in areas of over 90-minute one-way drive times (to reduce drive times and preserve options for water access following flash floods) 

• Initiate a comprehensive program of remediating, treating, and monitoring groundwater contamination 

• Increase the utilization of surface water, where practical and cost-effective 

• Improve the quality and safety of the region’s groundwater over the long-term 

Targeted Road Maintenance and Construction

A primary solution for reducing drive times is improving the road network in areas where well access is limited. As can be seen in Map D, the sparse road system shown in the boxed areas contributes to long drive times in those regions. Map D shows roads that are maintained by the Navajo Nation or the surrounding county governments; however, there are many informal roads that are not shown on these maps. We propose that the tribe take over the management of additional roads in these areas in order to increase mobility. 

Road maintenance and repairs, particularly after large storms, should be targeted in areas that are greater than a 90-minute drive from a well, as ensuring continued access to water is paramount during a natural disaster. Hilly areas should be given priority, as roads (paved and unpaved) in those locations are more likely to be washed out during a flash flood.^xxvii While these interventions will not increase the supply of clean water, they aim to increase its accessibility.

Surface Water Access

Historically, the Navajo Nation has not had rights to any regional surface water resources, which has made it impossible to use as an alternative to aquifers in areas with contaminated groundwater. However, the Navajo Nation has recently come to a settlement with New Mexico and Utah and is in the process of a settlement with Arizona over their rights to the Colorado River and its tributaries.^xxviii The settlement with New Mexico has culminated in the construction of a new pipeline which will bring water from the San Juan River to the southeastern section of the reservation and Gallup, New Mexico.^xxix The Navajo Nation is currently in the process of settling their legal rights to the Colorado River with Arizona which could potentially result in increased access to surface water in the future.  

In regions where drive times to existing wells are high, and groundwater is potentially contaminated, surface water pickup spots could be created to increase water accessibility. Map E shows the surface water resources of the Navajo Nation with a buffer of 10 miles; given the expense of constructing water pipelines (~$1 million per mile), these regions are the most likely areas where pickup spots could be located. The areas highlighted in red show the places that are less than 10 miles from surface water, over 90 minutes from the nearest potable well, and less than 10 miles away from an abandoned uranium mine. We propose that these regions be given priority if rights to the Colorado are obtained. 

Solar-Powered Reverse Osmosis Treatment

We propose the use of solar-powered reverse osmosis treatment systems in areas where drive times to non-contaminated wells are high, and surface water use is not feasible, as seen in Map F. Reverse osmosis (RO) has been used around the world as a common water treatment method, largely in the context of large-scale desalination plants in coastal areas.^xxx However, RO has also been found to effectively treat uranium-contaminated water.^xxxi Historically, reverse osmosis has been costly due to the expense of the technology, and the energy demands of its operation. As solar panels have become more efficient and less expensive, reverse osmosis treatment equipment has become more accessible for small-scale use. Several research teams have piloted the use of distributed reverse osmosis water treatment in the Navajo Nation to improve water access.^xxxii,xxxiii We propose the continued expansion of this solution in areas of the Navajo Nation near abandoned uranium mines in areas, particularly the areas far from surface water (see Map F). Smaller, distributed treatment stations could be installed at the site of contaminated wells, offering closer, more convenient water pickup options for residents currently driving long distances to haul safe water (see image 2). 

As this rural, inland application of reverse osmosis is an emerging use case, there are some factors that require further study and attention. In an inland context, disposal of the wastewater by-product created in the reverse osmosis process (typically referred to as a brine or RO concentrate) is more challenging and costly.^xxxiv This disposal issue is further complicated by the presence of radioactive material in the waste product. In addition to this issue, reverse osmosis treatment equipment would require regular, skilled maintenance; however, the organization DigDeep has completed other water access projects in the Navajo Nation and created high-paying, local jobs for Navajo Nation residents.^xxxv As the use of reverse osmosis treatment would require skilled operators, a similar program of workforce development could promote the education and expertise needed among residents of the Navajo Nation, providing high-paying jobs in addition to essential water resources. 

Uranium Contamination Monitoring, Testing, and Remediation Program

As previously noted, the Navajo Nation has hundreds of unregulated wells, but many are unusable for household water due to heavy contamination from mining operations. The other solutions we have proposed address the areas of greatest (as a function of distance and time) water access needs in the short-term and immediate future. In contrast, this solution is oriented toward the long-term viability and improvement of groundwater quality and safety in the Navajo Nation. 

As noted in the issues section, there is no existing comprehensive, ongoing uranium contamination testing or monitoring program in the Navajo Nation. Some previous testing and documentation has been conducted and/or published by the EPA and academic researchers.^xxxvi,xxxvii With this existing documentation providing an important baseline, we recommend that the NTUA implement a comprehensive program to test and monitor groundwater wells on an ongoing basis. We also recommend that the NTUA couple this monitoring with uranium remediation projects that would create progress towards a broader remediation effort. Researchers in the western US have had recent success with a mineralization process using a calcium compound (calcium apatite) that captures and retains uranium in groundwater in a stable state.^xxxviii Such a method may be ideal for further piloting in the Navajo Nation. The NTUA may not be the appropriate entity to mobilize this monitoring and remediation effort, in which case, we recommend the creation of a task force or other entity that can take ownership of this program and its implementation. 

We suggest prioritizing this solution in areas within 10 miles of abandoned mines (see map G). There may be other factors that motivate the decision of how and where to begin the implementation of a testing and monitoring program in a subset of the affected area. If some areas of highly contaminated groundwater can be successfully remediated and these wells brought into productive, potable use, this would contribute to the overall objectives of creating more points of safe water access in areas that are at the greatest distances from surface water or hauled water.

CONCLUSION

The Navajo Nation faces many issues impacting water availability and access. Some of these issues have arisen from the physical conditions of the region, while others are a result of political and economic factors. Many challenges are a result of the historical political subordination of the Navajo Nation and the complex exchange and relationships between the sovereign tribal government, states, and federal government and agencies. Past political action has (arguably unconstitutionally) limited the Nation’s access to nearby surface water resources, while ineffectual remediation of past mining operations has created hazardous contamination of its groundwater stores. The complex network of federal agencies responsible to the Navajo Nation often results in piecemeal allocations of funding or limited use of government power to address the environmental justice issues impacting the Nation. In addition to these political challenges, the Navajo Nation is working to provide safe drinking and household water across a large geographic extent—larger than many states and even countries—thus, many of its physical access challenges are exacerbated by long distances and rural conditions.

With the increasing incidence and duration of droughts and decreasing annual snowpack, the availability of surface water in the southwest is not guaranteed.^xxxix,xl Continued exploration of alternatives for the Navajo Nation’s water portfolio is an important strategy to address uncertainty around water access. The solutions we propose build on recent investments in the Navajo Nation’s water infrastructure with further analysis of the remaining gaps in the water system. We have proposed a series of solutions aimed at reducing driving times for household who haul water in more rural areas of the Navajo Nation, by maintaining essential roads, creating more opportunities for on-site water treatment through reverse osmosis, expanding access to surface water, and by increasing the number of potable wells through a comprehensive groundwater monitoring and remediation program. These solutions aim to improve water accessibility in the short-term and improve groundwater quality over the long-term, contributing overall to the Navajo Nation’s water provisioning strategies and conditions.

---

APPENDIX 1

A typical water tank which can be attached to a pickup truck carries 325 gallons. According to UN guidelines, people should have access to at least 50-100 liters of water per person per day (13-26 gallons).^xli A family of four would need 52 gallons a day to meet this requirement. Using a standard 325-gallon water tank, they would have to haul water every 6.5 days, or about 60 times per year.^xlii In addition, we will assume that with a standard flow rate, it would take a little over an hour to fill a 325-gallon tank.^xliii  

These estimates of labor costs are also based only on sanitary/drinking water needs; the needs for agricultural water may vary dramatically by household. Many households may be located closer to unregulated wells where they can obtain their agricultural water at a shorter distance (and thus reduced time from their culinary water hauling), but still the hauling of agricultural water would likely compound their labor costs substantially.^xliv Additionally, a family using hauled water would likely rely on a septic system, which does not have monthly costs, but would have maintenance costs for cleaning or replacement. It costs between $400-800 to clean a septic tank in the Navajo Nation and the EPA estimates most tanks need to be cleaned or pumped every 3-5 years.^xlv 

---

ENDNOTES

All images and graphics were created by the authors.

1. 2019 American Community Survey 5-years ESTIMATE, as appeared in “Navajo Agencies.“ Navajo Nation Division of Community Development. Navajo Nation Wind. Accessed May 3, 2026. https://navajoprofile.wind.enavajo.org/Agencies/
2. “History.” Navajo Nation. Accessed May 3, 2026. https://www.navajo-nsn.gov/history
3. “Navajo Nation Reservation (US) size comparison.” MapFight.xyz. Accessed May 3, 2026. https://mapfight.xyz/map/navajo/#us.nj
4. In the future, there are additional avenues for further study which we have not explored in this set of recommendations. The Hopi Nation faces many similar challenges as the Navajo Nation, but their distinct tribal government has different utility operators and capacity. There may be opportunities for collaboration or regionalization of these functions. The Ten Tribes Partnership represents the collaboration of tribal leaders from throughout the Colorado River basin; although its purposes and functions are distinct from that of broader water access and water utilities for tribal governments, it is an example of a successful multi-tribal collaboration that may serve as a model for future collaborations in other areas.
5. Adomaitis, Clark. “Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project is on track for completion at the end of 2029.” Four Corners Public Radio. July 11, 2025. Accessed March 2, 2026. https://www.ksut.org/news/2025-07-11/navajo-gallup-water-supply-project-is-on-track-for-completion-at-end-of-2029
6. Native News Online Staff. “Groundbreaking Held for $267 Million Water Treatment Plant on Navajo Nation.” Native News Online. April 17, 2025. Accessed March 2, 2026. https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/groundbreaking-held-for-267-million-water-treatment-plant-on-navajo-nation
7. Wickerd, Donna. “NTUA to improve wastewater treatment in proposed settlement with US EPA.” Navajo Times. January 18, 2024. https://navajotimes.com/reznews/ntua-to-improve-wastewater-treatment-in-proposed-settlement-with-us-epa/
8. “2020 CARES Act Final Report for Navajo Nation Leadership.” Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. April 29, 2021. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://www.ntua.com/assets/2020-nn-cares-act-projects—ntua-final-report—4.29.21.pdf
9. Allen, Krista. “Controller Report Warns of Tight Timeline for Remaining ARPA Funds.” Navajo Times. January 29, 2026. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://navajotimes.com/reznews/controller-report-warns-of-tight-timeline-for-remaining-arpa-funds-outlines-reallocation-plan/
10. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority’s 2025 report states that “NTUA operates and maintains 94 public water systems throughout the Navajo Nation.” See p. 4 in “2025 NTUA Progress Report,” Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, accessed April 2026, https://www.navajonationcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025_NTUA_Progress_Report-2026_NNC_Winter_Session.pdf
11. “2025 NTUA Progress Report,” Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, accessed April 2026, https://www.navajonationcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025_NTUA_Progress_Report-2026_NNC_Winter_Session.pdf, p. 20 & 22-23.
12. “Navajo Area Indian Health Service Fiscal Year 2025 4th Quarter Report.” Department of Health & Human Services. Indian Health Service. October 20, 2025. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://www.navajonationcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/NAIHS_Fall_Session_Report-NNC_FINAL_10.17.2025.pdf, p. 16
13. Cerveny, Randall, Erinanne Saffell, and Juliana Likourinou. “Basics of the Arizona Monsoon & Desert
14. Meteorology.” Arizona State University. School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. Accessed March 2, 2026. https://sgsup.asu.edu/basics-arizona-monsoon-desert-meteorology
15. National Weather Service. “Northern Arizona Monsoon Season.” NOAA. NWS Flagstaff, AZ Weather Forecast Office. Accessed March 2, 2026. https://www.weather.gov/fgz/monsooninfo
16. Kelly, Mark. “Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement.” Arizona Senate. 2024. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://www.kelly.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/One-Pager-Northeastern-Arizona-Indian-Water-Rights-Settlement-NAIWRSA-Act-of-2024-1.pdf.
17. Canon, Gabrielle. “Western US States Fail to Negotiate Crucial Colorado River Deal.” The Guardian. February 13, 2026. Accessed March 22, 2026. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/13/colorado-river-crucial-deadline.
18. Molle, Francois and Peter Mollinga. “Water Poverty Indicators: Conceptual Problems and Policy Issues.” Water Policy 5, no. 5-6 (2003): 529-544. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/water-poverty-indicators-conceptual-problems/docview/1943059970/se-2, p. 531.
19. “Improving Water Access.” Navajo Safe Water. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://navajo-safe-water-2-navajosafewater.hub.arcgis.com/pages/improving-water-access
20. “Find Safe Water.” Navajo Safe Water. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://navajo-safe-water-2-navajosafewater.hub.arcgis.com/pages/find-safe-water
21. “Navajo Nation Flooding History.” Navajo Nation Silver Jackets. February 10, 2022. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/fa0a1056b3364cda96a248bae2a265c8.
22. “Navajo Nation Abandoned Uranium Mines Cleanup.” EPA. March 13, 2026. Accessed March 22, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/navajo-nation-uranium-cleanup/aum-cleanup.
23. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Navajo Nation Abandoned Uranium Mines Cleanup.” EPA. Updated April 23, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/navajo-nation-uranium-cleanup/aum-cleanup
24. Padilla, Nadine. “Abandoned Mines, Abandoned Treaties: The Federal Government’s Failure to Remediate Abandoned Uranium Mines on the Navajo Nation.” University of Colorado Law Review. 96, vol. 3 (2025). https://lawreview.colorado.edu/print/volume-96/abandoned-mines-abandoned-treaties-the-federal-governments-failure-to-remediate-abandoned-uranium-mines-on-the-navajo-nation-nadine-padilla/
25. “Monument Valley, AZ Processing Site Fact Sheet.” U.S. Department of Energy. Office of Legacy Management. December 2025. Accessed March 19, 2026. https://www.energy.gov/lm/articles/monument-valley-arizona-processing-site-fact-sheet
26. “Find Safe Water.” Navajo Safe Water. Accessed February 28, 2026. https://navajo-safe-water-2-navajosafewater.hub.arcgis.com/pages/find-safe-water
27. “What is Navajo WaterGIS 2.1?” Navajo WaterGIS 2.1 Accessed February 25, 2026. https://unmcop.unm.edu/metals/
28. Luu, Chinh. “Flash flood and landslide susceptibility analysis for a mountainous roadway in Vietnam using spatial modelling.” Quaternary Science Advances. 2023. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666033423000151
29. Kelly, Mark. “Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement.” Arizona Senate. 2024. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://www.kelly.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/One-Pager-Northeastern-Arizona-Indian-Water-Rights-Settlement-NAIWRSA-Act-of-2024-1.pdf.
30. “Breaking Ground, Building Futures: Reclamation begins construction on major milestone of Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.” U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. April 18, 2025. Accessed February 18, 2026. https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/news-release/5138
31. Greenlee, Lauren F., Desmond F. Lawler, Benny D. Freeman, Benoit Marrot, and Philippe Moulin. “Reverse osmosis desalination: Water sources, technology, and today’s challenges.” Water Research 43, Issue 9 (May 2009), p. 2317-2348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2009.03.010
32. Hirose, Dr. A., and J.K. Fawell. “Uranium in Drinking-water, Background document for development of
33. WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality (GDWQ).” World Health Organization. 2012. Accessed May 4, 2026. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/wash-documents/wash-chemicals/background-uranium-rev-1.pdf?sfvrsn=9c28b0d3_3, p. 13.
34. “Off-Grid Water Purification Units on Navajo Nation.” University of Arizona. Arizona Institute for Resilience. Accessed April 2026. https://haury.arizona.edu/what-we-do/indigenous-resilience-initiative/funding-education-research-and-outreach/supporting-0
35. Karanikola, Vasiliki, Andrea F. Corral, Patrick Mette, Hua Jiang, Robert G. Arnold, and Wendell P. Ela. “Solar membrane distillation: desalination for the Navajo Nation” Reviews on Environmental Health 29, no. 1-2 (2014): 67-70. https://doi-org.proxy.library.upenn.edu/10.1515/reveh-2014-0019
36. Greenlee, et. al, p. 2337.
37. “About the Project.” DigDeep. Accessed March 2026. https://www.navajowaterproject.org/project-specifics
38. “Water Sampling Results in the Navajo Nation.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Updated April 14, 2026. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/navajo-nation-uranium-cleanup/water-sampling-results
39. “What is Navajo WaterGIS 2.1?”
40. Rappe, Mollie. “Using a mineral ‘sponge’ to catch uranium.” Sandia National Laboratories. June 9, 2021. Accessed April 2026. https://newsreleases.sandia.gov/uranium_remediation/
41. “Arizona Basin Outlook Report.” United States Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Service. March 1, 2024. Accessed March 22, 2026. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2024-03/240301-AZ-Basin-Outlook-Report.pdf
42. “Home Page.” Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources. Accessed March 1, 2026. https://nndwr.navajo-nsn.gov/
43. “Global Issues: Water.” United Nations. Accessed April 6, 2026. https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/water#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20important,should%20not%20exceed%2030%20minutes.
44. “Pickup Truck Water Tanks.” Water Storage Tank. Accessed April 6, 2026. https://water-storage-tank.com/pickuptrucktank/.
45. “Water Tank Refill Time Calculator.” Anglican PHE. Accessed April 6, 2026. https://anglianphe.co.uk/water-tank-refill-time-calculator/.
46. James, Ian. “Waiting for water: On the Navajo Nation, long lines, scarce resources, a cry for solutions.” AZ Central. July 22, 2020. Updated November 22, 2023. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona-environment/2020/07/22/the-navajo-nations-wait-for-water-persists-with-few-answers/3224889001/
47. “Septic Tank Cleaning #1 (2026).” H2O for Life. Accessed April 2026. https://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/projects/1490