The relocation of the southwest Alaska village of Newtok to the new site of Mertarvik, nine miles downriver on Nelson Island, has been planned for many years to preserve the sustainability and safety of the community due to more frequent storm erosion damage. In fall 2016, ANTHC Environmental Health and Engineering became part of the relocation team and continues to be a key community partner as the project progresses. “From the outset, our goal was gaining the trust of the ...

“I love remote monitoring!” That was the reaction of Erik Weber, Buckland’s water plant operator, after ANTHC Tribal Utility Support personnel recently installed more than 30 sensors in the community’s water treatment facility. Remote monitoring systems collect information such as temperatures, pressures and flow rates and, using an internet connection, display them on a webpage. This allows operators and others to troubleshoot problems at a distance and to track and collect data which could help reduce fuel and electricity waste. ...

The St. Michael water and sewer system froze in mid-January, leaving the entire community without water or sewer service. Local operators, supported by ANTHC’s Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC), started thawing water and sewer mains immediately. Unfortunately, it soon became obvious that thawing the entire 10 miles of water and sewer lines would not be possible until early summer. Community leaders, operators and regional partners took action to assist community residents during the crisis. The Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority ...

A severe cold snap in January wreaked havoc on several water systems around the state. In the community of Koyuk, water plant operators discovered a frozen raw water line and an underground leak that nearly drained their water storage tank. Their quick action and assistance from ANTHC’s Tribal Utility Support staff helped maintain the system and avoid costly repairs. The frozen line and water leak impeded water flow through the system. Without adequate water circulating through the system, the other ...

Indian Health Service leaders and Tribal partners met for the Facilities Appropriation Advisory Board (FAAB) Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at the IHS office in Rockville, Maryland. Lincoln Bean, Sr., FAAB Vice-Chair, attended and represented Alaska. The committee is comprised of one primary representative from each of the 12 areas of the IHS, as well as two IHS representatives. The primary purpose is to seek consensus, exchange views, share information, and provide advice and/or recommendations to the IHS Director on ...

ANTHC’s work in promoting healthy homes and communities involves many aspects of public health infrastructure that support the health of our people. Our Environmental Health and Engineering work began with health prevention through access to water and sewer, and has evolved to understand the complete needs for community wellness. This progress with our community partners has adapted over the years to include a new approach to project planning. ANTHC, along with funding and agency partners, is in development of a ...