September 14, 2026
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Coordinated Kaktovik Water Response Underway; Do Not Drink Notice Remains in Effect
KAKTOVIK, Alaska: The North Slope Borough has established an Incident Command to coordinate the response to the Kaktovik water incident. A Joint Information Center, or JIC, has also been activated to provide Kaktovik residents with clear, timely, and consistent information on behalf of the organizations involved in the response.
The health, safety, and well-being of Kaktovik residents are our highest priority. We are working together to provide safe drinking water, evaluate the water system, investigate the cause of the incident, and address community health concerns.
Important Safety Information
The Do Not Drink Notice remains in effect while testing, evaluation, and response activities continue.
Residents should continue to follow these instructions:
- Do not drink the community water.
- Boiling the water will not make it safe to drink.
- Do not use the community water for cooking or food preparation, making beverages or ice, or brushing teeth.
- Continue using bottled or emergency-supplied water for drinking and food preparation.
- The water may continue to be used for showering, washing dishes, and washing clothes, consistent with Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and Alaska Department of Health guidance.
- Continue following the Do Not Drink Notice until officials announce through the Joint Information Center that it has been lifted.
Safe drinking water is available for pickup at the Kaktovik Water Treatment Plant.
Residents who have health concerns or believe they or a family member may have been exposed may visit the Kaktovik Medical Clinic. North Slope Borough health staff and Arctic Slope Native Association medical staff are available to provide evaluations and answer health-related questions.
Incident Command and Participating Organizations
Incident Command provides a single, coordinated structure through which participating organizations can share information, deploy resources, establish response priorities, and make decisions in support of the Kaktovik community.
Organizations participating in Incident Command include:
- North Slope Borough: Leads the Incident Command and coordinates the overall emergency response, potable water support, logistics, public information, and deployment of Borough resources.
- City of Kaktovik: Provides local government coordination, supports community outreach and on-the-ground response activities, and communicates the needs and concerns of Kaktovik residents.
- Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation: Assists with access to information, resources, and local knowledge in support of the response.
- Iñupiat Community of the Arctic Slope Emergency Management: Provides tribal emergency management support and helps coordinate response activities with the community and participating organizations.
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation: Provides regulatory oversight and technical guidance related to water sampling, laboratory testing, water safety, and corrective actions.
- Alaska Department of Health: Evaluates potential health risks and provides public health guidance related to possible exposure.
- Arctic Slope Native Association: Provides clinical support, medical evaluations, and health information for residents who have exposure-related concerns.
- Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation, through UIC Municipal Services: Provides water-system operational knowledge, records, personnel, and technical support for system evaluation and corrective actions.
Together, these organizations are bringing their emergency response, public health, water-system, technical, medical, and community resources together in support of Kaktovik.
What We Are Doing Now
The response is organized around four primary objectives:
- Provide for Life Safety
We are communicating the Do Not Drink Notice and providing potable water to the community.
- Ensure the Safety of Stored Water
We are evaluating stored water within the system and, where necessary, coordinating treatment or the dumping and replacement of affected water.
- Identify the Cause
We are continuing to investigate how ethylene glycol entered the water system and working to develop a complete understanding of the incident and the factors that contributed to it.
- Address Community Health Concerns
We are providing residents with access to health information and medical evaluation and responding to questions and concerns about possible exposure.
The Do Not Drink Notice will remain in effect while this work continues. Incident Command is committed to all four objectives and will continue working on each of them until the necessary response actions have been completed.
Community Communication and the Joint Information Center
On Friday, September 11, Incident Command held a community town hall that residents could attend in person or virtually. The town hall provided an opportunity for community members to hear directly from Incident Command representatives, ask questions about the incident and response, and share their concerns.
The town hall was part of our commitment to transparency, community engagement, and open, two-way communication. That communication will continue through the Joint Information Center throughout the response.
The JIC will serve as the public’s central point of contact for all information, questions, comments, and concerns related to the Kaktovik water incident and response. It will coordinate information from participating organizations so residents receive consistent updates on water safety, testing, health guidance, response activities, and available community resources.
Residents do not need to wait for another community meeting to ask questions or raise concerns. The JIC will provide updates as new, verified information becomes available and will promptly notify residents of any changes to current water-use guidance.
For all questions, comments, or concerns related to the Kaktovik water incident and response, contact the Joint Information Center at:
Please click the following link for the PDF version of the Public Service Announcement, September 14, 2026:
NSBIC-JIC-Kaktovik PSA IC Structure, JIC and Townhall
Past Public Service Announcements
Please click the following link for the PDF version of the Public Service Announcement, September 12, 2026:
NSB KAKTOVIK PUBLIC Water Pumping and Lagoon Discharge
Please click the following link for the PDF version of the Public Service Announcement, September 10, 2026:
NSB KAKTOVIK PUBLIC WATER NOTICE + FAQs
Please click the following link for the PDF version of the Public Service Announcement, September 5, 2026:
NSB KAKTOVIK PUBLIC WATER NOTICE + FAQs
Please click the following link for a flyer from the NSB Department of Health & Social Services:
