Nearly 40 percent of the homes in the Navajo Nation lack running water or sanitation, and many are in such remote areas that they will never be able to connect to a water line.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: Darlene Arviso’s truck route takes her to some of the most remote and isolated people in America.
Darlene Arviso: The kids would be yelling, running to the water truck when I’m coming up to their house.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: She’s known as the Water Lady in a region where 40 percent of residents have no access to running water.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: A few miles away, Arviso has a new customer.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: What they gave up are two of life’s most basic amenities, electricity and running water.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: Due to a long waiting list, getting connected to the main water line could take up to 15 years, and it will cost more than $12,000.
Although Bicenti works full-time, piped-in water is a luxury she cannot afford.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: George McGraw founded a group called DigDeep that used to work on water projects in Africa, but is now directing its efforts to help some of two million people in this country, like the Bicenti family, who lack access to clean water and sanitation.
George McGraw: A lack of clean water in the United States does exactly the same thing to families it does around the world.