In 2020, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey gave $1 million to DigDeep; that year, its Navajo water programme delivered 1,450 storage tanks to homes and kept them filled during the pandemic
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, staying home and washing hands became basic advice. But for thousands of families on the Navajo Nation, that was not always easy because their homes did not have running water. As the access to clean water became more urgent than ever, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey gave $1 million to DigDeep, a nonprofit working to bring running water to homes across the US. That year, DigDeep’s Navajo Water Project delivered 1,450 water storage tanks to homes on the Navajo Nation and kept them filled during the pandemic. The programme also delivered 250,000 gallons of emergency bottled water as infection rates rose and many families faced challenges accessing safe water.
How DigDeep helped Navajo families during Covid-19
The Navajo Water Project had planned to serve fewer families in 2020, but the pandemic forced DigDeep to expand its response. The organisation said it served three times more clients than originally planned that year. The project delivered 275-gallon water storage tanks to homes and continued filling them during the pandemic. DigDeep also added 10 water trucks and delivery vehicles and expanded its water delivery routes by 1,891 square miles.Because of the high Covid-19 infection rates, teams also had to reduce contact with residents while continuing to provide water.
The water shortage was already a major problem
DigDeep’s 2020 report highlighted the wider scale of the problem. It estimated that more than 2.2 million Americans were living without running water. On the Navajo Nation, about 30% of homes lacked running water, making basic measures such as frequent handwashing difficult during the pandemic.DigDeep also helped more than 10,300 rural Navajo residents identify safe, free local water sources during the crisis.
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey was among the donors supporting the response
Jack Dorsey’s $1 million donation was part of wider support received by DigDeep during 2020. The organisation said more than 40,000 people donated that year as it expanded its water-access work.DigDeep also reported receiving 250,000 gallons of donated water from Nestlé, along with support from other companies and individuals. The organisation said it grew nearly four times in 2020 as it responded to the increased demand for clean water during the pandemic.
