Clean Water for Pine Ridge

The Story

On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, some families boil their water before every use. Not as a precaution. As a necessity. The water running through aging pipes contains levels of contaminants that would shut down any city system.

Joseph Running Bear has been documenting the water crisis for five years. He has binders full of test results, photos of brown water coming from taps, and medical records linking contaminated water to health issues in children.

The federal government has promised fixes for decades. The fixes haven't come.

So Joseph started small. One filtration system for one family. Then two. Then ten. Each system costs about $800 installed. It's not a permanent fix, but it means a mother doesn't have to wonder if the water she gives her baby is safe.

He's installed 23 systems so far, funded entirely by word of mouth. There are 180 families on his waiting list.

$800 = one family with clean water. It's that direct.