TUBA CITY, Ariz. (AP) - Federal officials say the Hopi Tribe has failed to meet a deadline to reduce arsenic in drinking water at the tribe’s cultural center.
The Hopi Tribe agreed to pay a $3,800 fine and told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that it plans to finish a treatment system by early next year. The tribe says it has set aside funding for the project and selected contractors.
The work is part of a 2016 agreement between the tribe and the EPA.
The Hopi Cultural Center east of Tuba City supplies drinking water for 25 people on the reservation.
The EPA says a regional water pipeline also is in the works.
The agency says high levels of arsenic in drinking water can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and neurological damage.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.