Alaska Rural
Water and Sanitation
Working Group

A USARC-Coordinated
Working Group

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Alaska Rural Water and Sanitation Working Group

A USARC-Coordinated Working Group

About

There are a variety of entities in Alaska working towards improving health outcomes in rural Alaska by providing and improving water services in villages. The US Arctic Research Commission (USARC) is coordinating these groups so that this work is maximally efficient and ideas can be shared across federal, state, Alaska Native, and academic groups. The group we coordinate is called the Alaska Rural Water and Sanitation Working Group and our work is directly applicable to the USARC’s priority goal of Arctic Human Health.

The Working Group’s mission is to maximize the health benefits of in-home running water and sanitation services in rural Alaska.

Objectives

(1) Support research on the connections between our changing environment, water/wastewater, and human/environmental health.

(2) Promote research and development of innovative approaches to water and wastewater services, including the integration of economics into these studies.

(3) Support the development, operation, and maintenance of sustainable water and wastewater systems, including capacity and workforce development and sustainability modeling.

(4) Investigate research needs related to the impact of risks and hazards (e.g., storm surge, erosion, permafrost thaw) on water quality, water and wastewater infrastructure, and related human health sequelae.