12-21-12 Freezing waterlines - Evansville, Alaska, USA
Observation: December catches many elders off guard. One minute their water and drains are working fine, then it freezes! The Tribal Council staff are scrambling to keep up with the demands for use of the heater and steamer. One elder's well needs over 10 gallons of hot hot water poured down the well in order to break the ice shield. In one day there were three houses with frozen drains! It took over three days to thaw out the drain at the Tribal Hall. Evansville has individual wells and septics for each house. This increases the electricity costs in the winter so that some individuals are paying up to $600 a month! Something needs to be done in order to protect our precious water sources and comfort. All the community members like the ease and comfort that having a well and septic system offers them in their own homes. The days of using an outhouse in behind us. Debbie Sue Nictune
