Semi-structured interviews: Groundwater treatment, delivery and use in rural western Alaska (2022-2024)

The goal of this project was to address challenges involved with treatment, delivery, and use of drinking water in remote Alaska Native communities of western Alaska. Based on guidance from tribal leaders, we conducted semi-structured ethnographic interviews with Elders and water plant operators in several Yup'ik communities in western Alaska. Our objective was to gather knowledge from community members and community utility operators about geogenic groundwater contamination and the treatment, delivery, and use of drinking water. We recruited at least two individuals in each participating community and sought to include a balance of male and female adult community members, including Elders, recognizing that these groups may have different relationships to and uses of water. Tribal Councils identified community participants, and interviews were conducted primarily by phone. Interview questions included traditional and historical knowledge of water sources and uses by source, experiences and thoughts about existing water treatment and delivery systems, factors affecting access to and use of drinking water, and perspectives on different water treatment and delivery technologies, including which features might discourage uptake and use. With participant permission, interviews were audio recorded. All study methods were reviewed and approved by the Alaska Area Institutional Review Board, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation. This data set is available upon request and approval from the participating tribal organizations: the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation.