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When the ANTHC Environmental Health and Engineering team arrived in Allakaket in July, they came prepared with project updates, maps, designs and plenty of technical information. What mattered most, however, was not what they brought with them. It was the time spent listening to community members who call Allakaket home. During the two-day Village Economic Development Gathering in July, Tribal leaders, residents, project partners, and ANTHC staff from Water and Sanitation, the Rural Energy Program, and Climate Initiatives sat together to talk about the community’s future.
The conversations covered water and sewer service, renewable energy, flooding, erosion, housing,and transportation. But beneath every discussion was a more personal question: How do these projects make daily life easier, safer, healthier, and more affordable for families?
Allakaket has received $65 million in funding for a first-service water and sewer project. This is a major investment. However, the project’s true value cannot be measured in dollars, but in fewer families hauling water, safer sanitation in homes, and better health for children, parents, and Elders.
“Residents were able to speak directly with the ANTHC project team about home layouts, easements, and how the new system would work in their community. They also raised real concerns about permafrost, barge access, aging homes, and the long-term cost of operating the systems,” said Don Kious, ANTHC Chief Executive DEHE and Corporate Construction, who was part of the team visiting Allakaket. “These conversations matter because a project can look good on paper and still fail if it does not reflect the realities of the people who live with it.”
ANTHC’s work in Allakaket also includes building a 340-kilowatt solar PV project with a 380-kilowatt hour battery energy storage system (BESS). The system will be owned by the Tribe, and revenue from the electricity it produces will be used to reduce household water and sewer bills. That connection is important. Building a water system is only part of the job. Families must also be able to afford the service, and the community must have the energy, operators and resources needed to keep it running for generations.
Conversations regarding flooding and erosion were equally productive. Many Allakaket residents have watched the river change throughout their lives. They know where the water rises first, where the bank is disappearing, and which roads and homes are most vulnerable. ANTHC staff collected technical information, and community members provided lived experience. Their first-hand knowledge ensures that our maps and models reflect what is actually happening on the ground. The flood and erosion assessment has identified possible projects to improve drainage, armor the riverbank, replace the Airport Road culvert, and relocate or elevate threatened structures. With ANTHC’s assistance, the community is pursuing partnerships to turn those ideas into fundable projects.
What stands out most from this trip is how closely everything is connected. Water and sewerdepend on affordable energy. Infrastructure must be designed around permafrost, flooding, and erosion. New systems need trained operators and sustainable funding. And most importantly, every decision must begin with the people who will live with the outcome.
“Staff left Allakaket with a deeper understanding of the community’s hopes, concerns, and priorities, and a renewed responsibility for follow-through,” Kious added. “In the end, success is not simply completing a project. It is a family turning on a faucet in their own home, and a household able to afford its utility bill. It is a road that remains open, a riverbank that is protected,and a community that knows its voice shapes what comes next. That’s Tribal self-determinationin action.”
