KWSO News for Mon., Jun. 29, 2020

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Covid-19 update Friday afternoon reported no increase in the number of positive cases of Covid-19 on the reservation.  There have been 63 positive cases with 46 of those individuals having recovered.  1007 tests have been conducted at the Health and Wellness Center since testing began.  In addition to testing for those with symptoms or who have come in contact with someone who has Covid-19 – – the clinic is also doing surveillance testing of Tribal Employees who are randomly selected.

Last week, Warm Springs Tribal Council adopted a program to provide financial grants to Tribal Members who are suffering personal economic and health hardships due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.  The grants are intended to assist Tribal Members with Coronavirus pandemic related expenses such as loss of income, added expenses for food, utilities, transportation, housing, educational needs, home care, medical services and other costs incurred responding to the pandemic.  The program is being set up under the Tribe’s recently enacted “General Welfare Ordinance.”  It is expected that grant applications will be available in July.  Additional Grants will be provided in October of this year.

The Warm Springs Branch of Public Utilities issued a notice this weekend regarding the critical state of reservation Water Systems.  The noticed urged community members to take all steps possible for conserving water.  Reservoir levels are critically low for both the Agency and Schoolie Flat water systems.  The notice emphasized that while Public Utilities works to preserve the water flows to houses, community members need to follow conservation efforts until further notice.  Misusing water at this time includes things such as filling swimming pools and watering lawns for extended periods of time.  Until further notice, water should only be used for personal uses like flushing toilets, showering and boiling for consumption.

The Kahneeta water system will continue to be out of water. Portable toilets and showers are being set up for those residents.  The tribe’s Emergency Manager continues to work on providing some drinking water where it is needed.