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DRY CREEK, OKLAHOMA - Cherokee Nation's Engineering and Sanitation Facilities Construction Program is overseeing three waterline installations that will cover almost 30 miles and will deliver drinking water to more than 150 Cherokee families in Cherokee County. Billy Hix, director of the ESFC, said his program is managing the Carlile II, Miller Cemetery and Dry Creek/Cookson projects. The Carlile II project starts near a trash transfer station south of Keys on Qualls Road and runs south to the old Qualls Store, Hix said. The waterline will cover 7.9 miles and will deliver water to 43 Indian families, most of whom are Cherokee. "The primary purpose of this is to get them potable drinking water," Hix said. "A lot of them had bacteria in the wells, containments in the wells, and a lot of people had wells that went dry. So they basically had no water and had to haul water if they wanted water at home." Hix said that the Stick Ross Mountain Water Company was also constructing a water tower. When complete and connected to the waterline, his department would set the families' water meters and hook them up to the waterline. Hix also said a spur will go off the main waterline toward Indian Road for about two miles to reach families in that area. Hix said he expected it to be completely finished in October. Indian Health Service gave $388,000 for the project while SRMWC added $78,000. For the Miller Cemetery waterline, it begins where Stick Ross Mountain's waterline ends southwest of Tahlequah. CN connected to the waterline at that point and ran a line north to Miller Cemetery. From there, it runs north and west and ends at Coos Thompson Road, covering 7.4 miles. "It will serve 37 Indian families in the Stick Ross and Eureka communities," Hix said. Double S Construction began work on the Miller Cemetery waterline in July, and Hix said that line should also be completed in October. IHS gave $394,000 for the project while the SRMWC chipped in $43,000. In the Dry Creek area, 73 Cherokee families will be able to benefit from the new Dry Creek/Cookson water line, which will cover 13.5 miles. The first phase, Dry Creek to Cookson, is currently under construction and starts at the Dry Creek Community Building. It goes along Blue Top Road and heads southwest to Cookson where it ties into the rural water district. Clagg & Son Construction from Albion, Okla., is constructing the first phase which is being funded by the rural water district with a $250,000 grant. The second phase will include a $270,000 self-help project where Dry Creek community members will do most of the work digging ditches and laying the waterlines. Community residents will lay waterlines from the Community Building to Indian family homes around the area. Other funding for the project includes $114,000 from CN and $459,000 from IHS. Travis Snell can be contacted by e-mail: travis-snell@cherokee.org or by telephone: 918-453-5358.

Related Cherokee Nation contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org