On Dec. 30, 2025, Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration for the community of Napaskiak for a power outage that froze pipes, and that has left the community without running water for a month.
Following an ice storm in early December 2025, the Kuskokwim River community lost power to a line already weakened from weather during Typhoon Halong. The outage was repaired after several days, but multiple pipes burst during the cold temperatures and the community still doesn’t have running water.
Tribal Chief Sharon Williams said that Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) maintenance workers have been trying to repair the damaged waterline.
“YKHC knows we’re gonna be out for a long time, that our well was heavily damaged,” Williams said.
Williams said that Calista Corporation and YKHC have been sending bottled drinking water into the community. YKHC is also working to purchase a truck and a trailer to haul water into the community. The vehicle will belong to Napaskiak’s tribe and was purchased with funds from the Alaska Community Foundation.
Residents have continued to ferry water between Bethel and Napaskiak and haul ice and snow to assist with things like dishes and cleaning. Williams said that during this week’s blizzard, she melted some of the piled snow to do dishes and mop her floor.
“Today, I remembered when I was younger. I was like, maybe 11, 12, we had the situation, lights were out, the well was out. And I remember getting snow from the snowdrift for my mom to make water,” Williams said. “Today brought back that memory.”
The disaster declaration will trigger aid from the state’s public assistance program.
