Securing Regional Resilience
After years of persistence and collaboration, the Baca Water Well is now online and operational—bringing a reliable water source to families across a wide region. This milestone expands our capacity to serve more homes more efficiently, reduces reliance on overburdened or distant wells, and improves water security in the face of climate stress. The Baca Well doesn’t just provide water—it supports the foundation for healthier homes, stronger communities, and greater economic opportunity for generations to come.
Innovating for Impact
We piloted our first above-ground Home Water System in Shonto—a critical innovation for families living in areas where rocky terrain or Homesite Lease requirements have made traditional underground installations impossible. This new design allows us to bring clean, running water to homes that were previously out of reach. Beyond just access, it means improved health, dignity, and daily convenience for elders, children, and caregivers who have gone without. It also opens up new possibilities for replicating this solution across other hard-to-serve areas of the Navajo Nation.
Media Momentum
In 2024, our Navajo Water Project team was featured on the front page of the LA Times, “This epic slice of Arizona feeds their souls but lacks a basic necessity: Water” and hosted a photojournalist from Time Magazine for their September cover story, “This Is Life in America’s Water-Inequality Capital. It Might Be About to Change”.
This national press coverage helps amplify the voices of Navajo families, builds crucial awareness of water access inequities, and connects more folks to our mission—ultimately helping us reach more families in need of clean, running water.
Expanding Our Reach
Our team expanded into five new communities, continuing to deliver clean, sustainable water to places where pipes cannot reach—through off-grid delivery and new waterline connections. We also began preparing land in Thoreau, NM, for our new regional hub, with groundbreaking set for spring 2025. This growth is supported by key partners, including the Caterpillar Foundation, whose collaboration since 2022 has advanced water access projects across New Mexico and helped make possible the wet lab at our new Thoreau headquarters.
The new facility will enhance our capacity to serve more families, with centralized storage for equipment and materials, space for community gatherings, improved staff facilities, and a wet lab to drive ongoing innovation and training. Together with supporters like the Caterpillar Foundation, we are laying the groundwork for healthier, more resilient communities across the Navajo Nation.
