THE VAST AMERICAN SOUTHWEST IS HOME TO AN INCREDIBLY DIVERSE ARRAY OF BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES FROM MOUNTAINOUS PINE-COVERED FORESTS TO DESERT SPRINKLED WITH MAJESTIC CACTI.

OPEN SPACE IS ABUNDANT, YET MUCH OF THE POPULATION IS LOCATED IN CITIES WHERE DAILY WATER CONSUMPTION PER HOUSEHOLD CAN SOMETIMES BE IN EXCESS OF 100 GALLONS.

SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THIS GENERALLY ARID REGION ARE NUMEROUS NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL HOMELANDS.

IN THE NAVAJO NATION, THE AVERAGE DAILY USE CAN BE AS LOW AS 10 GALLONS FOR FAMILIES WHO MUST TRAVEL TO COMMUNAL WELLS TO GET ALL OF THEIR WATER.

TERMED WATER HAULING, THIS JOURNEY HAS FOR SOME BECOME AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE NAVAJO WAY OF LIFE.

[MUSIC] THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY A PACIFIC MOUNTAIN NETWORK PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT GRANT SUPPORTING REGIONAL PRODUCTION THAT BENEFITS AND INTERESTS ITS MEMBER STATIONS.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY DESERT PROGRAM PARTNERS.

YOU CAN’T TRADE LIVING AT THIS PLACE FOR ITS SERENITY AND CALM AND PEACE.

I BELIEVE THIS IS PROBABLY THE THIRD GENERATION OF FAMILY LIVING HERE.

I HAVE THREE CHILDREN.

I’VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 43 YEARS TO MY HUSBAND AND HE’S FROM THE HOPI TRIBE.

MY NAME IS ROSIE SEKAYUMPTEWA.

AS A NAVAJO WOMAN I MUST PROPERLY INTRODUCE MYSELF.

MY CLANS, MY FOUR BASIC CLANS ARE NAASHT’ÉZHÍ TÁBAAHA, TÓDÍCH’II’NII, TT’ÍZÍ IÁNÍ, KINTICHÍI’NII AND THAT IS HOW I AM AS A NAVAJO WOMAN.

I LIVED IN PHOENIX OFF THE RESERVATION FOR QUITE A LONG TIME, MORE THAN 30 YEARS, AND RECENTLY TRACKED BACK OVER HERE.

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE THOUGH IT’S A LITTLE BIT OF HARSH LIVING.

OUT HERE WE DON’T HAVE RUNNING WATER.

THIS IS THE WAY WE TAKE A BATH OR A SHOWER AND THIS CUP IS A VERY IMPORTANT CUP IN OUR HOUSEHOLD.

SO WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE THAT MUCH, OF COURSE IT WILL TAKE THAT MUCH, IT’S TWO CUPS OF WATER AND WE POUR IT OVER OURSELVES, WE STAND IN HERE AND SHAMPOO UP AND SOAP UP AND THEN RINSE OFF.

SO ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO TAKE A GOOD, CLEAN BATH OR SHOWER IS JUST THREE GALLONS OF WATER.

THAT’S THE WAY WE TAKE OUR SHOWERS HERE AND IT’S A GOOD CONSERVATION OF WATER AND GOOD PRESERVATION OF WATER WHEN YOU DO THAT.

THE NAVAJO NATION, THE CURRENT HOMELAND OF THE DINE OR NAVAJO PEOPLE, IS THE LARGEST RESERVATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

MORE THAN HALF OF TRIBAL MEMBERS, ABOUT 175,000, LIVE ON THE RESERVATION WHICH IS MOSTLY ARID, HIGH DESERT GRASSLAND RECEIVING LESS THAN 10 INCHES OF ANNUAL PRECIPITATION.

WATER IS SCARCE HERE AND WE TALK ABOUT WATER ALL THE TIME.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WATER, WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT KINDS OF WATER WHEREAS MOST FOLKS DO NOT DO THAT.

OUT HERE WE TALK ABOUT DRINKING WATER AND THEN ALSO WATER FOR ANIMALS.

WE ALSO TALK ABOUT WATER FOR OUR TREES AND IF WE HAVE A GARDEN WE ALSO HAVE WATER FOR GARDENING.

AND THOSE SOURCES OF WATER WE GET FROM MANY DISTANCES.

CURRENTLY ABOUT 40% OF THE POPULATION ON NAVAJO DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE KIND OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU AND I NORMALLY WOULD TAKE FOR GRANTED.

THEY SPEND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME DURING THEIR WEEK GOING BACK AND FORTH TO GET WATER.

THEY SPEND MORE MONEY THAN YOU AND I DO ON WATER AND IT PUTS THEM IN A CATEGORY THAT WE CALL ENERGY POVERTY WHERE THEY’RE SPENDING OVER 10% OF THEIR INCOME ON JUST TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH TO GET WATER OR PROVIDE ENERGY IN THEIR HOMES.

MOST SOLUTIONS ARE DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUALS OR NATIONS, NOT FOR COMMUNITY WELLS.

ONE GROUP TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR A RESERVATION WELL OUTSIDE OF LEUPP, ARIZONA, IS THE NAVAJO NATION SOLAR DESALINATION DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

THERE’S AN ECONOMY OF SCALE.

AS THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY GOES UP, THE PRICE PER UNIT OF WATER PRODUCED GOES DOWN SO BIG PLANTS ARE CHEAPER IN TERMS OF DOLLARS PER GALLON OF WATER TO DEVELOP THAN SMALL PLANTS.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE ARE USUALLY FACILITIES THAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO PROVIDE WATER FOR A RELATIVELY SMALL POPULATION IN A RELATIVELY REMOTE AREA SO WE’RE TALKING SMALL SCALE HERE.

THAT INHERENTLY MAKES IT MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IF ALL THAT POPULATION WERE IN ONE PLACE AND WE CAN MAKE ONE PLANT FOR THEM.

THE PROJECT’S CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR, ALONG WITH HIS COLLEGE STUDENTS, HAVE DESIGNED AND INSTALLED WATER PURIFICATION SOLUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

THERE ARE NO REAL GOOD TECHNOLOGIES OUT THERE TO DESALINATE OR TO PURIFY THE IMPAIRED WATER THAT OFTENTIMES WE’LL FIND IN ARID LANDS IN LAND AREAS.

THERE AREN’T... IT’S NOT LIKE THIS IS TRYING TO GO ONE BETTER ON THE ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE THERE.

WE’RE TRYING TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE, ONE OPTION.

YOU BUILD THE SMALLEST VERSION YOU CAN GET THAT INCORPORATES ALL THE ASPECTS THAT WILL BE AT THE FULL SCALE AND SO THAT’S REALLY WHAT THE PROTOTYPE IS TRYING TO GO TO THAT WHOLE PROCESS AT THE SMALLEST POSSIBLE SCALE THAT ALLOWS YOU THEN TO PROJECT REALLY WHAT’LL HAPPEN WHEN YOU TAKE IT OUT TO THE FULL SCALE IN THE FIELD IMPLEMENTATION.

AN EVOLVING SOLUTION IS CONCENTRATED ON TAPPING INTO A RESOURCE ABUNDANTLY AVAILABLE IN MOST DRY REGIONS, THE SUN.

WITH NOTHING YET DESIGNED TO MEET THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS FOR THOSE WHO USE THE LEUPP WELL, THE SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS ARE STARTING FROM SCRATCH.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS IS BUILDING A PROTOTYPE, PROOF THAT THE CONCEPT AND DESIGN WILL ACTUALLY WORK.

WE REALLY RIDE ON THE SHOULDERS OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEY HAVE TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC AND THEY HAVE TO BE INVOLVED AND THEY HAVE TO BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU’RE DOING.

THE REASON WE’RE STARTING WITH JUST A PROTOTYPE IS BECAUSE WE NEED TO WORK OUT A FEW KINKS.

WE’VE DESIGNED A PROTOTYPE SYSTEM THAT WILL PRODUCE ABOUT 100 GALLONS A DAY AND THEN ONCE WE’VE REALLY REFINED THE DESIGN, WE’LL SCALE IT UP AND MAKE EITHER MANY MORE OF THE SAME THING OR MANY MORE OF A LARGER VERSION.

REALLY, IT COMES OUT OF THEIR SWEAT AND TOIL THAT THE PROCESS EITHER FAILS OR SUCCEEDS AS MUCH AS IT COMES OUT OF THE THEORY AND SO FORTH.

SO FAR IT’S PRETTY GOOD.

IT’S BETTER THAN I EXPECTED ACTUALLY SO I’M PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

THAT CORNER IS GOING TO BE THE ONLY REAL FIX-IT.

USING A TRADITIONAL METHOD, THIS VERSION IS DESIGNED TO USE THE SUN TO HEAT THE WATER UNTIL IT EVAPORATES INTO A GAS LEAVING BEHIND ANY IMPURITIES.

THEN THE GAS IS COOLED, TURNING IT BACK INTO WATER.

NOW PURIFIED, IT IS COLLECTED INTO A CISTERN.

DESPITE MONTHS OF CONSTRUCTION, THE FIRST VERSION OF THE PROTOTYPE FAILS.

IT IS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF WHERE SOMETHING DOESN’T SCALE DOWN WELL.

THAT TYPE OF MULTI-EFFECT DISTILLATION OR SINGLE-EFFECT DISTILLATION PROCESS IS TRIED AND TRUE AND VERY WELL PROVEN AND IS IMPLEMENTED IN MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD.

BUT WHEN YOU TRY TO GO DOWN TO A SCALE WHERE WE’RE TALKING ABOUT 10, 20, 30 GALLONS AN HOUR, THAT SORT OF SCALE AS OPPOSED TO 10,000, 20,000, 100,000 GALLONS AN HOUR, THEN YOU REALLY RUN INTO PROBLEMS WITH THOSE SYSTEMS BECAUSE NOW YOU’RE DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE THINGS LIKE JUST CLEANING THE SYSTEM BECOMES A MANUAL JOB AS OPPOSED TO AN AUTOMATED JOB.

SO IT WAS AN EXERCISE TO GO THROUGH THAT BUT IT CERTAINLY BECAME OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE MUCH TOO SMALL FOR WHAT WAS GOING TO BE PRACTICAL PARTICULARLY IN A REMOTE LOCATION.

SPRAWLING ACROSS THREE STATES, THE NAVAJO NATION AND THE HOPI TRIBAL LAND WITHIN THE RESERVATION BOUNDARIES ARE LARGER THAN 10 OF THE 50 UNITED STATES.

TO GET OUR FOOD WE HAVE TO DRIVE INTO A NEARBY TOWN.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE GARDENING, GROW OUR OWN FOOD, THEN AGAIN IT’S WE DON’T HAVE THAT LUXURY OF RUNNING WATER.

THIS IS OUR OLD GARDEN HERE.

THIS IS WHERE WE HAD PLANTED CORN AT ONE TIME AND SOME SQUASH.

I WISH WE COULD DO MORE GARDENING AND OF COURSE WE DEPEND ON RAIN TO GROW OUR CROPS AND NOT MUCH OF THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING DURING THE YEARS THAT WE HAD PLANTED.

WE ONLY PLANTED ABOUT TWO OR THREE TIMES AND THEN WE JUST DIDN’T HAVE RAIN TO DO IT.

AND THEN WE TRIED WATERING, WE BROUGHT BARRELS OF WATER TO WATER EVERY DAY OR EVERY OTHER DAY AND IT WAS JUST A LOT TO DO.

THE COST AND EFFORT OF HAULING WATER DOOMED ROSIE’S GARDEN.

AFFORDABLE, CLEAN WELL WATER WILL DEPEND ON MORE THAN JUST GOOD SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPALS AND SOUND ENGINEERING.

IT MUST HAVE THE ACCEPTANCE AND SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE WHO USE THE WELL.

YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT WHO THE TARGETED STAKEHOLDER IS THAT YOU’RE TRYING TO GET THIS THING FOR BECAUSE THAT ALSO TENDS TO NARROW DOWN OR CONSTRAIN WHAT THAT PROTOTYPE’S GOT TO LOOK LIKE AS OPPOSED TO THE MORE GENERAL PROOF OF CONCEPT LEVEL.

THE IDEA WITH THE PROJECT IS NOT TO INSTALL A TYPE OF TECHNICAL SYSTEM THAT’S IMPOSED UPON THE COMMUNITY BUT RATHER DESIGN THE SYSTEM TO WORK IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY LIVE IN UNDER THE COST STRUCTURES THAT THEY CAN AFFORD TO SUPPORT THE SYSTEM OVER THE COURSE OF THE LIFE OF THE SYSTEM WHICH MAY BE 20 YEARS.

BUT REALLY IT’S UP TO THE COMMUNITY TO START TO PUT IT TOGETHER, TO INSTALL IT, TO FINANCE IT OVER TIME SO IT REALLY BELONGS TO THE COMMUNITY.

TO UNDERSTAND THE NAVAJO’S WATER USAGE AND WILLINGNESS TO EMBRACE THIS PROPOSED SOLUTION, THE ENGINEERING TEAM CONDUCTS SEVERAL LISTENING SESSIONS.

SO THE SYSTEM WILL BE OFF GRID, IT WON’T BE CONNECTED TO ANY ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES OR WATER PIPELINES AND WE’RE GOING TO START WITH 100 GALLON A DAY SYSTEM.

HOW GOOD IS ONE OF THE GADGETS THAT YOU BUY FROM THE STORE, THAT FILTER, THE FILTERING SYSTEM FOR ANY TYPE OF WATER, SAY LIKE REALLY ARSENIC WATER?

WE STILL HAVE NO RUNNING WATER SO WE STILL HAUL WATER AND I KNOW THAT THERE’S A NEARBY SPRING, NATURAL SPRING THAT PEOPLE GO GET WATER.

IT’S ABOUT I WOULD SAY SEVEN MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE.

THE OLD NATURAL SPRINGS ARE KIND OF GETTING DRY THROUGHOUT THE AREA AND SO IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT.

IN MANY AREAS OF THE RESERVATION, MUCH OF THE WATER IS NON-POTABLE FOR BOTH HUMANS AND LIVESTOCK.

IT CAN CONTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF NATURALLY OCCURRING SALT AND ARSENIC AND POLLUTANTS INCLUDING URANIUM AND NITRATES FROM LEGACY, AGRICULTURAL AND MINING ACTIVITIES.

IN FUTURE VERSIONS, SOLAR DISTILLATION UNITS COULD BRING WATER CLOSER TO THE USERS BY PURIFYING WATER FROM SOME OF THESE POLLUTED WELLS.

HOWEVER, SCIENTISTS MUST FIRST LEARN THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WATER THEY PLAN TO TREAT BEFORE THEY DESIGN A TREATMENT SYSTEM.

THE TESTING REQUIRES SAMPLING WATER FROM DEEP INSIDE THE WELL.

WELL, THIS IS ONE OF THE WELLS THAT’S THE MOST ATTRACTIVE FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NEED AROUND HERE AND THE WATER QUALITY AND THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE WELL.

THERE’S A COUPLE OF THINGS WE’RE LOOKING FOR.

THE SIMPLEST THING FIRST OFF IS WE’VE GOT TO LOOK AT SALINITY.

EQUALLY IMPORTANTLY OUT HERE WE WANT TO SEE ARE THERE OTHER MINOR CONSTITUENTS WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT, THINGS LIKE URANIUM, ARSENIC, ANY OTHER CONSTITUENTS LIKE THAT AND THE ISSUE THERE IS AS MUCH WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE RESIDUAL OUT OF THE WATER, ’CAUSE WE’RE GOING TO SEPARATE OUT THE GOOD WATER, WE CAN DO THAT, TECHNOLOGICALLY NO PROBLEM REALLY.

BUT THEN THE BIG TRICK IS YOU DON’T WANT TO THEN END UP SPREADING OUT ESSENTIALLY CONTAMINATED WATER OR CONCENTRATED WATER ON THE LAND SO YOU’VE GOT TO KNOW WHAT ELSE IS IN IT.

GO UP OR DOWN, WE DECIDED TO TRY TO GO TO 400 FEET.

HOW MANY MILES TO GO?

THE DROP IS ABOUT 70 FEET BELOW THE WATER LEVEL.

IT’S A TRADE OFF BETWEEN GETTING SO DEEP THAT WE DON’T GET REPRESENTATIVE WATER FROM WHERE YOU’LL BE DRAWING.

OBVIOUSLY YOU DRAW FROM THE TOP FIRST, YOU DON’T WANT TO DROP IT ANY DEEPER THAN YOU HAVE TO BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE WANT TO BE DEEP ENOUGH THAT WE ACCESS REALLY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FULL DEPTH IF YOU WERE RUNNING IN PRODUCTION WHAT YOU WOULD GET.

IT’S A LITTLE BIT OF A GUESS BUT I DON’T THINK WE’LL BE THAT BAD.

THE SAMPLES REVEAL THE WELL WATER IS HIGH IN SALINITY AND POSSIBLY IRON, NOTHING SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO ALTER THE DESIGN OF THE PROTOTYPE.

NOW, CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEXT VERSION OF THE PROTOTYPE BEGINS.

IF SUCCESSFUL, IT WILL PURIFY WATER BUT NOT BRING IT ANY CLOSER TO THE USERS.

IT’S ABOUT 44 MILES ROUND TRIP TO GET WATER.

BUT THAT’S OUR DRINKING WATER.

THE TANK THAT WE HAVE, ABOUT 250 GALLON TANK, IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 MINUTES TO FILL.

IT COMES OUT REAL QUICK.

THIS PLACE IS CALLED TÓNAALIIH.

TÓNAALIIH MEANS WATER COMING DOWN.

APPARENTLY AT ONE TIME WATER CAME FROM THE CREVICES OF THE ROCKS OR SOMEWHERE AND THERE WAS JUST A FREE FLOW OF WATER COMING FROM THE ROCKS HERE AND THEN THEY CAPTURED IT IN THE TANKS AND THEY MADE THE WELL AND THIS IS WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ATTEMPT TO GET THEIR DRINKING WATER INCLUDING US AND IT’S VERY GOOD TASTING WATER.

FOR THE SECOND PROTOTYPE THE TEAM HAS CHOSEN A NEW TECHNOLOGY TO PURIFY THE WATER.

A CANISTER FILLED WITH MEMBRANE STRAWS WILL FILTER OUT UNWANTED PROPERTIES FROM THE WELL WATER BY EVAPORATING THE WATER THROUGH THE MEMBRANE.

THE UNIT WILL ALSO USE THE SUN TO HEAT THE WATER AND TO POWER THE PUMPS THAT CIRCULATE THE SALTY WATER THROUGH THE CLEANSING MEMBRANE AND INTO A TANK.

USING COMMONLY AVAILABLE PARTS, CONSTRUCTION GOES THROUGH VARIOUS VERSIONS FROM BENCH TOP TO ROOF TOP.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT’S NOT GOING TO WORK THERE THE WAY WE WANT IT TO SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT IN A PVC Y.

THE OTHER OPTION TOO IS THAT WE CAN ALWAYS RAISE THESE.

IT’S VERY MUCH EDUCATED GUESSING.

AS IT PASSES THROUGH ACROSS THE MEMBRANE, WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT THAT WATER VAPOR IS GOING TO TRANSFER ACROSS THE MEMBRANE AND THIS WILL BE FULL OF WATER VAPOR HERE.

THIS IS GREAT.

I’M REALLY OPTIMISTIC THOUGH WHAT WE’VE LEARNED IS THAT NUMBER ONE WE NEED TO REDUCE THE COST OF EVERYTHING.

WE NEED TO SIMPLIFY OUR SYSTEM.

WE’RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LET IT RUN FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS PROBABLY INITIALLY.

ALL THE LESSONS WE LEARNED HERE WE’RE GOING TO APPLY TO OUR PILOT PLANT.

AS WORK ON THE SECOND PROTOTYPE CONTINUES, ROSIE AND OTHER NAVAJO PEOPLE RELY ON AN OLD TECHNOLOGY TO ACQUIRE WATER.

THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE THE WINDMILL IS AND IN NAVAJO IT’S CALLED THE DÓÓ BÍLAH JÓÓHGHÁHÍÍ AND THAT’S THAT BUTTE TO THE SIDE HERE.

AND THE ANIMALS, THE ROAMING ANIMALS, THE GRAZING ANIMALS COME HERE TO DRINK WATER WHEN THE EARTH DAM IS TOTALLY DRIED OUT SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TROUGH IS FILLED WITH WATER HERE.

THIS IS REALLY THE ONLY PLACE FOR MILES AND MILES WHERE YOU CAN, WE CAN ACTUALLY KNOW FOR SURE THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE WATER FOR THE ANIMALS HERE.

WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE SELFISH AND THINK THAT ONLY WE NEED WATER BECAUSE ALL THESE ROAMING ANIMALS NEED WATER AND WHERE WOULD I BE WITHOUT MY SHEEP, WHERE WOULD I BE WITHOUT MY HORSES.

I LOVE MY ANIMALS SO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ANIMALS ARE GETTING WATER.

WHILE SOME ANIMALS ARE ABLE TO DRINK WATER UNFIT FOR HUMANS, A SUCCESSFUL PROTOTYPE WILL BENEFIT LIVESTOCK TOO.

AFTER WEEKS ON THE ROOF THE CURRENT VERSION IS DISMANTLED AND REDESIGNED TO A LARGER SCALE TO BE INSTALLED ON A TEST SITE NORTHWEST OF TUCSON.

WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IS TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFER THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED FROM THE ROOFTOP TO A LARGER SCALE PILOT PLANT.

WE WANT TO MAKE IT BIGGER BUT WE WANT TO MAKE IT SIMPLER.

THE LESSONS THAT WE’VE LEARNED FROM THE LAB IS THAT SIMPLIFICATION IS BY FAR OUR WINNING TICKET.

RIGHT NOW THE PLAN IS TO LEAVE IT HERE FOR ABOUT NINE MONTHS TO BASICALLY WORK OUT ANY BUGS.

YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE SOMEONE SAYS, YES, LET’S PUT THIS IN THE FIELD AND LET’S GIVE IT A LONG TERM RUN.

FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE TRYING TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM FROM SCRATCH AND PUT IT OUT THERE, THAT’S REALLY THE SUCCESS.

THE NAVAJO PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED TO APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THE WATER THEY HAUL.

IN THE KITCHEN, THIS RESPECT IS DEMONSTRATED BY CONSERVATION OF THE PRECIOUS RESOURCE.

THIS IS THE WATER JUG.

WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS OUTSIDE, FILL IT WITH WATER AND WE BRING IT IN FOR DRINKING WATER AND WE ALSO USE IT TO FILL THIS BIG PAN HERE AND WE FILL IT AND WE HAVE TO HEAT IT UP AND WE PUT THAT HOT WATER BACK IN HERE FOR DISHWASHING.

AS WELL, WE USE IT FOR COOKING.

SO WE HAVE TO GO OUT FOR WATER AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK SO THIS JUG IS A VERY IMPORTANT SOURCE THAT WE HAVE IN THE HOUSE.

CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, OPERATION AND DELIVERY OF THE CLEAN WATER IS DESIGNED TO BE DONE WITHIN THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE NAVAJO NATION.

THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF RECLAMATION IS COORDINATING THE INITIAL UNIT CONSTRUCTION AT THE LEUPP WELL SITE.

RECLAMATION EXPERTS INSPECT THE PROTOTYPE NOW THAT IT HAS OPERATED FOR A FEW MONTHS.

THEY’RE GOING TO BE CHECKING OUT BASICALLY OUR PROTOTYPE TO SEE IF THIS KIND OF TECHNOLOGY CAN BE TRANSFERRED UP TO THE NAVAJO RESERVATION AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE’RE GOING TO MEET ABOUT BASICALLY FUNDING AND WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I’VE SEEN IT AND I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT IT’S A LITTLE BIT MORE ROBUST AND HAS BEEN OBVIOUSLY VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT SO I’M IMPRESSED.

I’M HAPPY WITH WHAT WE HAVE AT THIS TIME.

I’VE BEEN A STUDENT OF THE NAVAJO NATION’S WATER RESOURCE ISSUES FOR 15 YEARS OR SO NOW SO I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE’LL BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE RIDDLE.

A RIDDLE THAT WILL REQUIRE MANY ELEMENTS TO SOLVE, PERHAPS INCLUDING THE SUCCESSFUL PROTOTYPE DESIGNED FOR THE LEUPP WELL.

WHEN INSTALLED, IT CAN DELIVER 100 GALLONS OF CLEAN WATER A DAY.

BUT, EVEN AT THIS STAGE, IT HAS ALREADY DISTILLED MANY LESSONS.

HUMILITY, YOU ALWAYS LEARN HUMILITY.

ALSO PATIENCE.

YOU ALSO LEARN TO REALLY APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE YOU’RE WORKING WITH, HOW IMPORTANT A GOOD TEAM IS TO HAVE WORKING WITH YOU AND WE’VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE GREAT STUDENTS, I HAVE GOOD COLLEAGUES THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS.

THE MEASUREMENT FOR SUCCESS IS TO REALLY SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SUCCESSFULLY AND I THINK HAPPILY ADOPTED THESE SYSTEMS AND THAT THEY’RE REALLY FUNCTIONING IN A WAY THAT’S USEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY, THAT IT’S DELIVERING WATER THAT THEY CAN DRINK AND DELIVERING WATER FOR THEIR LIVESTOCK AND REALLY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.

THOSE INVOLVED WITH THE PROJECT HOPE TO HAVE THE SYSTEM OPERATING IN MAY OF 2012.

WIDESPREAD USE OF WATER PURIFICATION UNITS WOULD REDUCE THE DISTANCE TRAVELED TO HAUL WATER.

THE SUCCESSFUL PROTOTYPE HAS THE CHANCE TO IMPROVE ON BUT NOT NECESSARILY CHANGE A WAY OF LIFE.

WATER HAULING IS MOST ESSENTIAL TO THE NAVAJO WAY OF LIFE.

WE GREW UP LIVING THAT WAY.

WE GREW UP HAVING TO HAUL WATER AND WE GREW UP HAVING TO HELP WITH WATER AS LITTLE AS SIX AND SEVEN YEARS OLD.

I LOVE LIVING OUT HERE NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES.

NOBODY CAN TELL ME DIFFERENT.

I CAN’T SAY I LOVE WATER HAULING BUT I HAVE TO DO IT.

IT’S A WAY OF LIFE.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY A PACIFIC MOUNTAIN NETWORK PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT GRANT SUPPORTING REGIONAL PRODUCTION THAT BENEFITS AND INTERESTS ITS MEMBER STATIONS.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY DESERT PROGRAM PARTNERS.

TO ORDER DVD COPIES OF THIS AND OTHER PRODUCTIONS FROM ARIZONA PUBLIC MEDIA VISIT US ON THE WEB AT AZPM.ORG OR CALL 1-800-841-5923.

AND YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AT ORIGINALS.AZPM.ORG/SEEKING WATER.