Navajo Water Woes (10 images)

The Navajo Nation is the largest Indian Reservation in the United States. It encompasses parts of three of the most arid states in the US; Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Water is essential for life, yet despite the presence of major rivers like the Colorado and San Juan on the reservation, the Navajos have never been able to get enough of it to meet their needs. Thousand of Navajo have to haul water, at great expense, from distant wells to their homes.

A Federal...
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The Navajo Nation is the largest Indian Reservation in the United States. It encompasses parts of three of the most arid states in the US; Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Water is essential for life, yet despite the presence of major rivers like the Colorado and San Juan on the reservation, the Navajos have never been able to get enough of it to meet their needs. Thousand of Navajo have to haul water, at great expense, from distant wells to their homes.

A Federal study showed that the total cost of hauling water was about $113 per 1,000 gallons. A Phoenix household, in comparison, pays just $5 a month for up to 7,400 gallons of water. The lack of water on the reservation means the Navajo are among the most miserly users of water in the United States. Families that have to buy or haul water use only about 15 gallons of water per day per person. In Phoenix, by comparison, the average water use is about 170 gallons per day.

These photos, and others from this story, are available from ZUMA Press.
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