Kivalina students will finally head back to classes Monday, five weeks after the fall semester was postponed because late summer storms damaged a water supply pipeline that left the school and teacher housing without clean water.
Temporary repairs to the pipeline have been made in the northwest village. Now crews are racing against the coming freeze-up to pump enough water from the Wulik River to last through winter. The state Department of Environmental Conservation on Thursday cleared treated water samples as safe to drink, lifting a boil-water notice. The repairs to the supply line and pumping operation are the results of a multi-agency effort, including the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and the Northwest Arctic Borough.
Governor Sean Parnell declared a disaster in Kivalina earlier this month.
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