NEAH BAY — The Makah are working with representatives of the Navy to get a temporary back-up system for drinking water, says Ben Johnson, tribal chairman.
Johnson said plans for the Navy to send a desalination system, which turns salt water into fresh water, are in preliminary stages.
The system would allow the tribe to access the water surrounding it in the Pacific Ocean and Strait of Juan de Fuca.
A shortage of water on the reservation from a lack of rain and high visitor traffic over the summer forced the Tribal Council to declare a state of emergency on Tuesday, Johnson said.
The Tribal Council was alerted Monday to the critically low levels of water in its two main sources, the Waatch River and Educkett Reservoir, he said.
With heavy water restrictions put into place Tuesday for the 1,800 residents of Neah Bay, the tribe has maintained a level of about 625,000 gallons of water in its treatment plant, Johnson said.
However, if the tribe’s two water sources dry up, the 625,000 gallons would last only about a day-and-a-half.
By declaring a state of emergency, the Tribal Council activated an emergency operations group which consists of key staff from tribal organizations and Indian Health Services, Johnson said.
The group has worked since Tuesday to devise a plan to replenish and maintain the tribe’s water levels.
The first part of the plan involves replenishing the tribe’s water supply with the Navy’s desalination system.
The second part of the plan, which focuses on maintaining a safe water level at the treatment plant, involves tapping into the tribe’s alternative water source at the Sooes Well, Johnson said.
In the meantime, the tribe is taking precautions to ensure the residents and visitors of Neah Bay have drinking water, he said.