Alaska
Simple handwashing stations improved health indicators in parts of rural Alaska
A key step to preventing the spread of diseases like COVID-19 or influenza is simple: washing hands. But lack of piped water in parts of rural Alaska has made that simple practice not so easy to carry out.
Now a technological innovation has boosted rural Alaskans’ ability to do that important disease-fighting task.
The Miniature Portable Alternative Sanitation System, or Mini-PASS, a portable water station that does not require connection to any piped water system, proved effective at helping people wash their hands properly, and there are signs that its use is fending off contagious diseases among children, according to a recently published study.
The Mini-PASS is a stripped-down version of the full Portable Alternative Sanitation System that was also designed by Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and its partners.
The full PASS units typically store 50 to 100 gallons of water, and the units include connections to septic tanks, allowing for flush toilets to take the place of “honey buckets,” the plastic-bag-lined buckets commonly used in rural Alaska areas lacking water and sewer systems. The Mini-PASS units lack those septic connections, and they typically allow for storage of 20 gallons of water. Storage tanks are placed above sinks, and used water drains into collection buckets.
The Mini-PASS units are much cheaper than full PASS systems, costing a little over $10,000 for construction and delivery, according to ANTHC. A full PASS system can cost about $50,000 per household, according to ANTHC. That sum is vastly lower than the cost of extending piped water and sanitation service, which can total $400,000 or more per household in parts of rural Alaska.
Simplicity had its virtues during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, there was urgency for distributing Mini-PASS units to several rural communities — places where people living in unpiped homes were hauling water, often in difficult circumstances, then using and reusing it in germ-spreading basins.
The consortium, with the help of partners, distributed hundreds of Mini-PASS units to rural households during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 350 units had been distributed as of 2021, and more have gone out since then.
“The idea was people were not going to be reusing the water, that it was free flowing, that you’d wash your hands, and then it would go into the wastewater bucket, the gray water bucket,” said Laura Eichelberger, an ANTHC research consultant and co-author of the study.
“And because the pandemic was this urgent situation of crisis, they needed to get as many of these units in as they possibly could. And so they took the idea of the PASS and just made it as simple and cheap as possible,” she said.
The recent study used interviews to measure the effectiveness of mini-PASS. In all, there were 163 interviews from 52 households.
Water use is considered an indicator of public health, and the Mini-PASS units led to an increase in water use that expanded over time, the results found. Average water use per person increased by 0.08 gallons per month in households that used the units, meaning that after a year, water use was up by 0.96 gallons a day per person, or 3.6 liters per day, the results found.
Additionally, people with Mini-PASS units reported that children 12 and under had fewer symptoms of contagious diseases.
There was a “statistically significant decrease in the reported symptoms, respiratory in particular, for households who were actively using the Mini-PASS as their primary hand- washing method, compared to those that were still using wash basins,” said Amanda Hansen, the study’s lead author and another ANTHC health researcher.
Prior to the distribution of Mini-PASS units, water use in unpiped villages in Alaska averaged only 5.7 liters per person per day, according to a 2021 study by researchers at Canada’s McGill University. That was well below the World Health Organization standard of 20 liters per person per day, according to that study.
Parts of rural Alaska continue to face daunting challenges in securing adequate water and sanitation services. According to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, more than 30 communities were considered “unserved” as of 2020. The category applied when less than 55% of homes are served by piped, septic and well or covered haul systems.
Still, there has been significant progress in recent years. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the number of rural Alaska homes without water, sewer or both has decreased by a notable 70% over the past two decades.
Originally published by the Alaska Beacon, an independent, nonpartisan news organization that covers Alaska state government.
Alaska
Gargantuan Rockfish Pulled From The Depths Of Alaska Ocean By Florida Man Is Older Than Your Grandmother
Ryan Izquierdo is a prominent figure in the fishing community with millions of followers social media. His most recent catch, a yelloweye rockfish, is not only the most orange fish you have ever seen, it is (probably) older than your grandmother.
He pulled the dinosaur-sized aquatic creature from the depths of the Pacific Ocean in Alaska.
For someone who has done a lot of fishing in remote locations all over the world to get this excited about a new catch should tell you everything you need to know. It is extremely difficult to catch this specific fish at this size!
Who is Ryan Izquierdo?
If you are a member of the angler community, you might already be familiar with ‘Ryan Iz.’ I compare him to a modern-day Jeremy Wade because he also catches prehistoric-looking fish on a rod and reel and documents his adventures on video.
Instead of a TV show that airs on Animal Planet or Discover Channel, Izquierdo posts on social media. He has more than three million followers on TikTok, 350,000 followers on Instagram and one million subscribers on YouTube.
Ryan Izquierdo travels all over the world to hunt monsters. He spent seven days hunting the world’s fiercest fish in the Amazonian jungle.
He caught some of the biggest golden dorado you will ever see in Argentina.
His recent trip to Texas with Field and Stream saw him catch a literal dinosaur.
However, most of Izquierdo’s time is spent in South Florida. The Sunshine State is home base.
Wherever he goes, big fish follow. Or maybe it’s the other way around?
A yelloweye rockfish caught in Alaska is older than your grandma.
Ryan Izquierdo’s latest fishing trip brought him out to Sitka, Alaska with ‘Cast Alaska’ Charters and Lodge. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Fishing in the most scenic places I’ve ever seen that hold true sea monsters. Every drop feels like it could connect you to a true giant hiding on the bottom. It could take hours, minutes, or not come at all. But when you do connect.. it’s epic!”
Sitka is located in the southernmost region of the state on the Pacific Ocean next to British Columbia near Juneau. The fish were biting!
Izquierdo caught his first Alaskan halibut.
He also reeled in a few different kinds of rockfish. The quillback rockfish absolutely crushed his jig.
The highlight was a yelloweye rockfish— also known as the Pacific red snapper, red rock cod or the Alaskan goldfish. It was over 90 years old and covered in spines. It was the most orange fish Ryan Izquierdo had ever seen.
He mentioned at the end of the video that the yelloweye rockfish was throwing up her stomach. That is because of a phenomenon known as “barotrauma,” which happens because of rapid decompression. These fish live in such deep water where the pressure keeps its organs in place. The air inside its swim bladder rapidly expands as it nears the surface, which pushes other organs like the stomach out of the mouth.
I don’t know whether or not Izquierdo kept this specific fish for his own consumption, because yelloweye rockfish is a highly sought-after table fare, but there is a way to release deep-sea fish back into the water safely. A device called a ‘SeaQualizer’ is used to compress the fish’s air bladder upon release, which allows them to regain neutral buoyancy and swim away.
A semi traveling on the Seward Highway overturned north of Seward, spilling diesel fuel, oil and its cargo of salmon and closing the road for several hours overnight into Saturday, Alaska State Troopers said.
Seward-based troopers were dispatched to Mile 15 of the highway, south of Primrose, shortly after 9 p.m. Friday for a report of the crash, troopers said in an online post. A semi with two trailers had overturned, “spilling diesel fuel and oil across the highway,” troopers said.
“At the time of the rollover, the truck was fully loaded with containers of salmon, which vastly covered the highway,” troopers said. Photos of the incident posted to social media showed salmon strewn across the road.
Two semi occupants were taken to Seward Providence Medical Center for evaluation and treatment of what appeared to be minor injuries, troopers said.
Troopers said a preliminary investigation indicated that the semi “was traveling too fast for conditions, and intoxication was not a factor.”
The crash and resulting cleanup closed the highway until about 4:45 a.m. Saturday, troopers said.
The closure occurred in the hours leading up to Saturday’s Mount Marathon race and Fourth of July celebration in Seward, which draw massive crowds to the Resurrection Bay town each year.
Seward pilot helps rescue harbour seal pups from remote Alaska location
Published 9:30 pm Friday, July 3, 2026
A pair of harbour seal pups have a second chance at life thanks to the efforts of a Seward pilot.
The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) recently admitted two harbor seal pups to the Wildlife Response Program, both making the nearly 300-mile trip to the ASLC with a Seward pilot who volunteered to pick up and transport the seals from the remote location.
“The first pup was found in the waters outside of Cordova with injuries that suggest she may have become entangled in a gillnet. The presence of a fresh umbilical cord indicated that she was likely only recently born, possibly less than 24 hours old,” according to ASLC.
After receiving approval from NOAA, the ASLC team worked with local Seward pilot Duke Marolf and partners in Cordova to transport the pup to the ASLC for rehabilitation. Cordova is a remote area with no main road access, so travel often depends on planes or ferries.
Once the seal arrived at the center, the veterinary team performed an initial admit exam. Their primary concern was a large laceration on the pup’s body, along with several areas where the fur appeared compressed or cut. An eye injury was initially suspected, but further examination confirmed that the blood around the eye had originated from another wound. While the ASLC team worked to stabilize the first patient, another report of a seal pup came from an Island west of Cordova.
“The second pup was spotted alone on a beach in Boswell Bay on Hinchinbrook Island, unusually far from the water. With no adult seals observed in the area, the pup’s condition raised concerns, particularly as she showed signs of severe dehydration,” noted a release from ASLC.
The pup was monitored overnight to confirm that an adult seal did not return. As concerns for the pup grew, including observations of an eagle repeatedly following it along the beach, NOAA authorized its transport to the ASLC for rehabilitation.
Marolf and his wife Pamela Eiting again volunteered to transport the pup back to the center in their plane, this time flying to the even more remote Hinchinbrook Island to pick up the seal and transport her back to the ASLC.
“What an experience to be able to fly out to an island to pick up an abandoned seal pup. I was able to join Duke for the trip to pick up the second seal, keeping him company and helping keep an eye on the pup during the flight home,” said Eiting.
“What stood out most to me about the whole experience was how much of a team effort these rescues really are. From the people who first notice and report the animals, to the Troopers, local residents, pilots, and the Alaska SeaLife Center staff, everyone plays a part in giving these wild animals a chance, and Duke and I are so grateful to be a part of it,”
The main concerns found by the ASLC veterinary team upon the initial admit exam for this second pup were significant dehydration, malnourishment, and an ulcer in one eye. The team is currently providing initial stabilizing treatments for both seal pups, and continue to examine the patients further to understand the severity of their conditions.
It is essential to give seals and their pups space and share coastal areas responsibly during this peak in pupping season for harbor seals. Do not approach, touch, or attempt to move a seal pup. Keep children and pets at a safe distance from haul-out sites and known pupping areas. Approaching or disturbing a marine mammal can cause serious harm to the animal, put people at risk, and may result in violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Responsible viewing ensures that these young animals have the best chance to grow and survive in the wild.
If you do see a marine animal in distress in the state of Alaska, call the ASLC Stranded Marine Animal Hotline at 1-888-774-SEAL (7325). The ASLC team is available to answer calls to the hotline daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. If they are unable to answer or the call is after hours, leave a detailed message and they will return your call as soon as possible.
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