A critical component to providing water and wastewater services to communities in the Bering Strait region is redundant, consistently operating sources of heat. Each water treatment plant is equipped with multiple boilers that provide this heat source. However, a lack of personnel with the knowledge and capacity to maintain the boilers, and a lack of materials and tools to perform the maintenance, means many of the boilers are currently inoperable, operating inefficiently, or at risk of breaking down. While some boilers have been repaired or maintained through the Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) remote maintenance worker (RMW) program or the NSHC Community Utility Assistance Program Critical Deficiency Repairs project, the majority of the region’s boilers are still in need of maintenance or repairs. 

The objective of this project was to provide maintenance and repair services for all water treatment plant and washeteria boilers in participating CUAP communities. Simultaneously, conduct hands-on training for water treatment plant operators (WPOs) on boiler maintenance.

Boilers were repaired in Brevig Mission, Diomede, Elim, Golovin, Shaktoolik, Shishmaref, St. Michael, Stebbins, Teller, Unalakleet, Wales, and White Mountain. This project was funded by The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.