f/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Alaska Native Village and Rural Communities Program
Annual Report 2015
The Alaska Native Village (ANV) Program funds the construction of new or to improve drinking water and wastewater systems in rural
Alaskan communities. In addition the ANV program funds training and technical assistance for the sustainable operation of the systems.
Program Accomplishments
Since its inception in 1996, the ANV program has distributed nearly $500 million in funds for sustainable and affordable in-home water
and sanitation services in 240 Alaskan native villages and 60 non-native underserved communities. Funds are used for the planning,
design, construction and/or repair of new or improved water and wastewater systems.
In FY 2015, EPA awarded $8 million in ANV grant funding to 10 projects that will improve water and/or sanitation services for 1,100 Alas-
kan homes. An additional $2 million in grant funds were provided for technical and financial training assistance. Approximately 10% of
these homes will benefit from first-time access to safe water and/or wastewater services. Through the continued partnership with local,
state and federal governments, the ANV program has helped to improve the health, safety and well-being of thousands of rural Alaskans.
Communities Served
Construction, operation and maintenance of water infrastructure is extremely difficult in rural Alaska. Many of the communities that
receive support from the ANV program are low-income, have high
rates of unemployment, and are based in locations that are only
accessible by water and air. The construction of safe sanitation
facilities is perceived as an unattainable goal for some communities
due to high operational and construction costs and locations in
challenging environments. Where there is no infrastructure, some
community members haul water long distances and use buckets or pit
privies to dispose of human waste, increasing the risk of exposure to
life-threatening bacteria and parasites1.
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Tuluksak
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To expedite the delivery of critical infrastructure to communities with
the greatest need, the ANV program uses the Indian Health Service's
Sanitation Deficiency System (SDS) to identify projects for selection.
The SDS identifies current sanitary deficiencies for existing homes
based on annual surveys by the Indian Health Service. The State of
Alaska uses the SDS as a baseline for funding considerations by all
Federal and State Agencies. Each year, the ANV program funds the
highest-priority projects in the system.
Office of Wastewater Management
EPA-832-F-15008
December 2015
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2015 Case Studies
Improving Human Health and Well-Being
The lack of adequately supplied safe drinking water and sewage disposal in rural Alaska can have detrimental impacts. Villages without
basic sanitation facilities often have high rates of disease, gastrointestinal infections, severe skin infections and respiratory illnesses2. A
2008 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that health disparities associated with lack of in-home
water service could be addressed through sanitation infrastructure3. Decreasing the occurrence of human contact with sewage is key to
preventing adverse health impacts. Villages that receive funding from the ANV program for the construction of sanitation facilities have a
lower risk of skin infections and respiratory illnesses and an overall improvement in daily well-being3.
Case Study: First Time In-Home Water & Sewer Access for Homes in Kwethluk, Alaska
Until recently, the Kwethluk Community was the largest underserved community in
Alaska, with limited access to drinking water and no wastewater infrastructure. A total of
181 homes lacked access to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. Community
members self-hauled potable water from a central distribution point and disposed of
human waste using open buckets that were transferred in collection containers via ATV to
a lagoon outside of town. These conditions presented major health risks, as spills were
common and contamination was spread throughout the community by rain and airborne
dust. In 2009, the ANV program and other partners funded the construction of water
source, water treatment facilities, water storage, water distribution, sewer collection,
sewer treatment and plumbing to each Kwethluk home. By 2016 this investment will
provide in-home access to drinking water and sanitation to this community for the first
time, reducing residents' exposure to health risks.
Construction of sewer collection piping in the
Kwethluk, Alaska community
Partnering for Infrastructure Resiliency
The ANV program has involved collaboration among EPA and program partners including the Indian Health Service's Sanitation Facilities
Construction Program through the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conserva-
tion, State of Alaska Department of Commerce-Community and Economic Development, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural
Development. These collaborations address the basic water and sanitation needs of underserved remote Alaskan villages by creating
access to affordable and sustainable sanitation facilities. For each project, a designated lead agency oversees and coordinates develop-
ment, design, and construction. In addition, the ANV program is authorized to provide training and technical assistance, which helps
communities maintain and protect their water infrastructure investments. In addition to supporting construction of infrastructure to
address water and sanitation needs in rural Alaskan villages, ANV program partners collaborate to identify ways to enhance the
affordability and sustainability of infrastructure investments.
Cose Study: Joint Efforts for Sustainability in Quinhagak, Alaska
View of typical remote Alaskan arctic tundra with
two people on an all-terrain vehicle
When heating is necessary to keep underground pipes from freezing, the high cost of elec-
tricity in rural Alaska (up to 50 cents per kilowatt hour) can result in large energy bills. In
2010, local, state and federal partners coordinated in an effort to assist Quinhagak villages in
finding affordable, sustainable solutions to combat freezing pipes and high energy costs.
With ANV funds, EPA, Alaska Energy Authority, and the State of Alaska collaborated to con-
struct a system to use excess energy from generators to save money when heating pipes.
Typically, diesel generators are used to provide electricity in rural Alaska, as the heat from
generators gets blown through and out in a similar fashion as a radiator. Waste heat from
generators is then used to circulate the excess heat through piping systems to prevent freez-
ing due to the permafrost. This solution has resulted in a sustainable method of re-use,
which is cost-efficient for the village community.
For more information: http://www2.epa.gov/smaN-and-rural-wastewater-systems/alaska-native-villages-and-rural-
communities-water-grant-program
1. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Village Safe Water Program summary; http://dec.alaska.gov/water/vsw/pdfs/vswbrief.pdf
2. Robert C. Holman, Anianne M Folkema, Rosalyn J. Singleton, John T. Redd, Krista Y. Christensen, Claudia A Steiner, Lawrence B Schonberger, Thomas
W. Hennessy, James E. Cheek (2011), 'Disparities in Infectious Disease Hospitalizations for American Indian/Alaska Native People', Public Health Reports.
2011 Jul-Aug; 126(4): 508-521, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc/articles/PMC3115210/
3. Thomas W. Hennessy, Troy Ritter, Robert C. Holman, Dana L. Bruden, Krista L. Yorita, Lisa Bulkow, James E. Cheek, Rosalyn J. Singleton, Jeff Smith
(2008), 'The Relationship Between In-Home Water Service and the Risk of Respiratory Tract, Skin, and Gastrointestinal Tract Infections Among Rural
Alaska Natives', American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 98, No. 11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18382002
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