Digging deep

The Navajo Nation reservation is home to 173,000 people and spans 27,000 square miles across three states: Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.

According to the human rights non-profit DigDeep (digdeep.org), which works to ensure every American has access to a tap and toilet inside their home, around 30% of all residents of the Navajo Nation live without clean water or a toilet.

In an effort to create awareness of this crisis, Costco member Roy Wiegand—who has also run several 100-milers to raise funds for rural Ethiopia—biked for 12 days and 1,200 miles, starting in Los Angeles and finishing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He raised more than $19,000 for the organization. “I met so many people along the way who helped me, most of them complete strangers,” says Wiegand. “When they heard why I was riding my bicycle that far, they were motivated to help.”—Dan Jones

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In Need

According to a 2019 report, more than 2.2 million Americans are without access to running water or basic plumbing in their homes.

DigDeep community-led projects aim to bring clean hot and cold running water into American homes.

Seeing families use their home water system for the first time is unforgettable, says Costco member George McGraw, founder and CEO of DigDeep. “Sometimes there are laughs or tears,” he says. “Often, it’s silence as the water starts to flow and people realize that this dream they’ve had for so long is finally a reality."—DJ