Mertarvik Well Project Committee Report

The following was presented at the District 49A 1st Cabinet Meeting
August 13, 2016
Big Lake, Alaska

You Lions did it again.  There was a need that could not be solved by any other organization.  As background, the land at the village of Newtok is slowly getting eroded away.  They have selected a new site, have funds allocated to help move families to the new site, but have not been able to release those funds because there was not a suitable water supply.  Lions Bennie Benievento and Yvonne Temple of the Fairbanks Host Lions started working the issue and asked 49A for assistance since Newtok (Mertarvik) is in our area.  Roughly $30,000 was requested to put in a suitable pump at Mertarvik.  By the Multiple District Convention, over $25,000 of that goal had been raised and the project was a go.

In June, the pump was installed at a cost of $29,489.11 by Jon Dufendock, Camp Water Industries, and Aaron Cook, Cold Climate Housing Research Center and their crews.  The well is now functional and with the new pump can produce up to 5 gallons a minute.  Based on field test data, the water appears to meet the water quality standards to be a community well.  The water quality still needs to be confirmed with laboratory tests.  As of my last accounting, District 49A has raised $13,106; District 49B, including Host Lions, has raised $14,003.73; leaving $2,379.27 that still needs to be raised to cover the costs currently being carried by Jon Dufendock.  District 49B has identified a little over $1,000 that may be available but there still are funds that need to be raised.

Lion Andrea Meeks, Benton Bay Lions, is personally following the project and working with Newtok, the Denali Commission, and Dowl Engineering to make sure certification of the water system is approved for community use.  This will allow FEMA to release their appropriated funds to assist the village in their move.

We are currently looking into requesting an LCIF grant along with District 49B to help other villages that need to move with water issues that they may encounter during the process.

Respectfully Submitted,
Lion Larry Helgeson
Chairperson Mertarvik Water Project
#Lions100 -- Protecting Our Environment -- Legacy Level III