Drinking Water Improvement Program (DWIP) Update
by Thomas Brower III

The DWIP Program has an exciting summer season ahead for FY17. Travel plans are being scheduled for this upcoming summer season to do community visits. The DWIP Coordinator will be doing complete assessments of the water plants, photos, surveys on traditional knowledge of alternative sources, based on past knowledge of the residents impacting the communities from previous river incidents.     YRITWC plans on providing technical assistance with resources on how to address the best practices for clean drinking water.

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For the villages within the Yukon River Watershed, we can provide drinking water test kits, these kits can be provided to the tribes upon a request. The name of the test kits are “First Alert” these kits Tests to EPA Standards, tests for: Bacteria, Lead, Pesticides, Nitrates/Nitrites, Chlorine, Hardness and PH.

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DWIP is coordinating with Science Department, Edda Mutter to do a Water Quality Training in April the dates are from 3rd to the 6th, scholarships will be provided upon the completion of the training by the attendees.

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DWIP coordinator will continue to create an Alternative Drinking Water database, based on traditional knowledge collected from elders and other community members. This information will be collected through an ongoing surveys and village visits this coming spring and summer season. To stay up-to-date with projects activities with the DWIP Program, please visit the web site yritwc.org or email tbrower@yritwc.org.