Clean Water

Running Strong Has Been connecting families on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation To Running Water For Decades

When Running Strong for American Indian Youth® was formed in 1986, getting clean, safe drinking water to the residents of Pine Ridge was among its top priorities. Previously, Running Strong satisfied this need by drilling water wells. However, the need for wells declined as the Oglala Sioux Rural Water Supply System was created and water lines were laid providing access to water.

Still, for many residents access to potable water remains unattainable. For some residents, who may live as close to just over 100 feet of the service line, the costs to run a line to their home and tap into the main line are too high. Many of these families have been on the waiting to be connected to the water line for years, on a waiting list of almost 500 households.

In fall 2015, Running Strong returned to its roots with a pilot program to provide families with what most Americans take for granted – running water – by connecting their homes to the Rural Water Supply line through our program Mni Wiconi (Water is Life).

Following the success of our Mni Wiconi program, Running Strong expanded our water projects to the Navajo Nation, beginning with the District 11 communities of Wheatfields, Tsaile, and Lukachukai. This past year through Diné NaabehóTó (the Navajo People’s Water Challenge), Running Strong connected 13 households to water in these communities, providing 92 individuals with access to clean, running water.

Learn more about our water programs here.

Spotlighted Programs

Diné NaabehóTó (the Navajo People's Water Challenge)

Over 30 families, representing 179 individuals on the Navaho Nation have been connected to running water through our Diné NaabehóTó (the Navajo People’s Water Challenge) since 2018.

Mni Wiconi (Water is Life)

Since 2015 Running Strong has been able to bring 117 families, representing 853 Lakota children, parents and elders, with all the water they need for drinking, cooking, bathing and washing on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Our Mni Wiconi program continues on Pine Ridge!

Anthony is a young single father who lives on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with his 3-year-old daughter. Father and daughter have not had running water at their home for over a year. In order to get water, Anthony had

1,032 People Provided with Water on Pine Ridge, Navajo Nation in Past Five Years

Running Strong for American Indian Youth® was founded 30 years ago with the mission of helping Native people who struggle to get the simple basic necessities of life – which foremost includes water. Thanks to friends like you, we have

Running Strong in 2019

The new year is soon upon us, and to welcome 2020 we’d like to take a look back at all we’ve achieved with the help of our friends this year. We rang in 2019 with our annual Heat Match program,

CNN Visits Running Strong On Pine Ridge

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has the lowest life expectancy of any region in the United States. For many residents on the reservation their daily reality still involves a multi-mile or multi-mile trek to access water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and

"Just think, Running Strong has always found a way to assist these complex issues for our Lakota families, as long as we have funding in our budget, we will always be the sole provider for these unique situations that are an easy repair but due to regulations, families and elders run into these problems."