Culinary water system extends to Westwater area west of Blanding

by Bill Boyle
Editor
Running water is now available in the Westwater community, immediately west of Blanding.
A celebration on April 25 culminated a four-year project that has helped transformed the once isolated area on the west side of the canyon.
Water and electricity is now available to the 23 homes in Westwater. For generations, residents there needed to haul water, and run generators or solar systems to provide the basic utility services that many people take for granted.
Westwater has changed in many ways over the course of the project. The most obvious visual changes are the light poles alongside every home and the freshly disturbed soil where water lines have been laid along the streets and to the homes. After four years of work, Westwater has the feel of a new subdivision!
After the projects are completed, many of the significant structural divides between Westwater and Blanding will have been breached.
Before the formal events to celebrate the project, Thomas Chee, leader of the Westwater community, led a group of people to what, for many years, was the sole source of fresh water nearest to Westwater: a small spring in the bottom of Westwater Canyon.
An emotional Chee explained that the project “has been a long time coming for my people to have this infrastructure.”
“For many years, we have been relying on this beautiful water right here. It sustains life. Sorry to be emotional, but water is a real precious resource that sometimes people take for granted. Dine people think of it as a precious life source.”
Chee remembers visiting the site as a young boy with his grandmother. She taught him to give a prayer of thanks whenever they used the water.
It was no small effort to solve the challenge of providing electricity and water to the community. The effort required significant collaboration between the diverse needs of the residents and federal, state, tribal, private and local groups.
There were significant legal, financial, jurisdictional, and logistical challenges that needed to be breached to complete the project.
A large number of officials attended the formal event, including Buu Nygren, the president of the Navajo Nation who was born in Blanding.
Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson, Congressman Mike Kennedy, State Representative Logan Monson, and dozens more attended the celebration.
Local San Juan County and community officials were involved, along with representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Michael Dunn and Larry Echo Hawk.
Extending electricity to Westwater was accomplished in 2022, funded in part by the Utah State legislature and the church.
The water project was more complicated and expensive. The Navajo Nation contributed $5.5 million, the State of Utah added $3.5 million, the Utah Navajo Trust Fund contributed $160,000 and local agencies and non-profits contributed to the effort
“My message is keep the faith,” said Chee. “Leaders will hear you, and take great efforts to help people in need.”
Westwater developed over time on public land, with no easements, lots, or titles. The Navajo Nation secured the ground in 1986, but there were still significant barriers to extending services to the residents.
Gladys Cly is not quite ready to celebrate yet. She and her husband Albert live in one of three homes in Westwater that is not yet hooked up to water. While the other 20 homes have fresh water, Gladys said she keeps being promised that it is “four weeks away”.
Lt Governor Deidre Henderson made a point to visit with Cly, remembering her from a previous visit to Blanding when the electrical project was completed.
Cly was indignant that the Lt Governor wasn’t aware that she was still hauling water and rebuffed all attempts to celebrate the project.
Cly simply stated, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”