Nibi-Clear

Currently Native American and First Nations tribes are provided federal water testing as a legal treaty obligation to assure the water on Indigenous lands are clean. The federal water testing methods provided to tribes look for tritium, lead, asbestos, and other specific contaminants that do not account for all of the elements that can reside in a water sample. Energy excitation analysis is a respected spectroscopy testing method that provides the full spectrum of elements in a sample and the concentration of each. Through using EEA on water samples, a tribe can truly know what elements are in their water. There are 574 federally recognized tribes in the United States and 634 federally recognized first nations in Canada with hundreds unrecognized across North America or Turtle Island. Each tribe and first nation has their own way of life, however the vitality of water stays constant. Water is considered a living being for the Anishinaabe or Ojibwe, and they treat it as such. With colonization, the access and health of water has transformed and in many cases has gotten contaminated from industrial plants, pipelines, and building materials. If all contamination is not shown from federal water testing, the truth behind the cleanliness of tribal water sources remains a mystery. There are metals, carcinogens, and chemicals that bypass federal water testing year by year that affect the public health of North American tribes and their land. For example, phosphorus levels in water that exceed 40 parts per million may lead to early Parkinson's and neurological conditions. Nibi-Clear was formed to provide a novel water testing solution for Indigenous water sources so tribes are aware of the true health of their water since water is life.

Energy excitation analysis is an established testing method for elemental evaluation that is lesser known than traditional hydrologic methods. Since water can be exposed to natural and man-made substances, that debris leaves an elemental footprint that can be detected with spectroscopic measurements. EEA takes a 5 mL sample that contains stable isotopes and "activates" the isotopes to a detectable energy state. The energy emitted can be detected with a High Purity Germanium Detector and characterized by the energy that was emitted. A basic way to describe how a sample is able to achieve a detectable energy state is imagining a flat balloon. The balloon will stay flat until air or helium is added to it, in this case kinetic and thermal energy. Once the balloon is inflated, we could let go of the balloon in a building and the balloon would float upwards until it reaches the top. The balloon will slowly lose air which demonstrates how energy is released after activation. As the balloon loses air, it will eventually return to the ground flat again, becoming a stable product once again. The spectrum of energies provide a characterization of what is inside the water samples and the concentration of each.

As an Ojibwe lead solution, the importance of Indigenous community members is pertinent to the mission of Nibi-Clear. Environmental health is Indigenous people's health and public health. Elemental contamination can show itself in many different health conditions. Specific metals can be safe in lower quantities, but when ingested over time, can build up and cause neurological and vascular brain conditions. Furthermore, some tribes have cultural practices that include breathing in steam from water poured on heated rocks, which poses a greater hazard than drinking the water alone. Nibi-Clear aims to serve each individual tribe a tailored water testing experience that takes into account the cultural practices that are relevant and the community the water serves. Native American and First Nations people are taught to respect and uplift their elders and many communities focus on elder health and care. Providing tribal leadership with water health means a tribe will be able to better take care of their tribal members and elders. When proper water care is provided, incidence of comorbidities may decline especially in elder populations. Nibi-Clear is a starting point for tribes to reclaim their health, environment, and water sovereignty. 

Nibi-Clear may be one of many advocates for clean water for Indigenous communities, however they are the only Indigenous founded and operated water quality business that uses energy excitation analysis to quantify contaminants in tribal water sources. Nibi-Clear's team lead is Anishinaabe from Bay Mills Indian Community and was raised in the Ojibwe traditional ways. Nibi-Clear personally travels to and from tribal nations to discuss water testing and tests the samples. When consulting with each tribe for water samples, the culture and teachings of the tribe are learned and taken into account when handling the samples and throughout the testing process. When working with Ojibwe tribes, the water is considered a living entity and when taken out of the lake, semaa or tobacco is laid down to provide respect and appreciation for the water. When working with Dakota tribes, the water is also sacred and is a healing place for their people. Throughout US and Canadian history, research institutions and colonial developments have disrespected Indigenous people and their teachings and Nibi-Clear is an entity that wants to rewrite scientific testing on tribal lands by providing respectful consultation and data sovereignty to each tribe. When testing is done, the data is the tribe's to handle and use as they like.

Nibi-Clear has been able to provide 5 tribal governments with water testing and reports on the constituents of their water sources. The water report provided to the tribes includes elemental concentrations in parts per million and if there are abnormal levels, they will be highlighted. For concerning levels of a particular element, applicable water health studies and tribal water law background is provided. These tests and reports have provided important information to the tribal governments about their water infrastructure or water sources. Water health has been verified with this service and contaminants have also been identified for a couple tribes. Water is an important entity for Indigenous peoples and verifying the health and livelihood of the water is what has been accomplished. For finances, a business connection was made within the past year with a non-profit foundation that wanted to help get the business financially where it needed to be to serve more tribal governments readily. This capital is ready for water testing and will be used to provide affordable EEA testing to future clients.

Pilot was selected mainly because this business is ready for more clients in the form of tribal governments to serve. As a water testing service that is trying to gain traction with a working technology and acquisition of starting capital, pilot seemed like the best fit

At the moment, Nibi-Clear is able to perform the testing and analysis, however human capital would be the most important addition to the team. Expertise for public health, hydrology, and biostatistics would further Nibi-Clear's vision for meaningful Indigenous science. As a grassroots organization, the efforts are currently being provided by an engineering expert that has limited resources when it comes to biostatistics and native public health. Building a board and uplifting this organization through connections and finding resources for accounting practices will bring Nibi-Clear into the next steps that have been needed to provide the best data for inquiring tribes. The connections made will ultimately provide the intersection of Indigenous academics and scientists needed to further Nibi-Clear's scope of work.

Nibi-Clear's team lead is Ojibwe and believes all the Indigneous tribal nations are unique and their water testing should show that. Every tribe is different, but colonization treated them as the same. Federal water testing is same for every tribe and does not provide the full truth about what is in their water. When the team lead originally did this project in 2017 for her tribe at Bay Mills Indian Community, the federal water testing report showed a clean record for the tests done, but when the EEA was performed, elevated phosphorus, cobalt, iron, manganese, and chromium came back. From then, the Nibi-Clear team lead wanted to try and provide this service for every tribe that requests it. Every Indigenous nation has a connection to water and how it supports them and she wants to provide tribes the first step to knowing their water sources as they do their ancestors.

Our solution leverages energy activation technology, a well-established method within the field of engineering physics, in a novel application—water testing for Indigenous communities. While spectroscopic energy analysis has been utilized for decades in research to identify elemental profiles, applying this technology specifically as a professional water testing solution is unprecedented. By adapting this sophisticated technology to meet the unique needs of water quality monitoring in tribal nations, Nibi-Clear is not only providing accurate and detailed water analysis but also pioneering its use in critical environmental health applications. This innovative approach enables precise detection and monitoring, supporting the health and sustainability of Indigenous communities.

Our solution utilizes Energy Activation Analysis (EAA) to provide a comprehensive view of the elemental makeup of water samples. Unlike standard federal water testing, which typically screens for only a specific set of contaminants, our method detects a broader spectrum of elements. This extensive detection capability allows us to identify potential contaminants that may originate from a variety of sources such as pipelines, factories, and land erosion. By revealing these contaminants, our testing service helps expose hidden risks in water sources, providing tribal nations and Indigenous populations with crucial information to protect public health and the environment. Our approach ensures communities are better informed and can take more effective actions to address water quality issues, thereby enhancing safety and sustainability.

Impact goals include:

Enhance Water Safety: Our primary goal is to significantly improve the safety of water consumed by Indigenous communities by identifying a wider range of contaminants than standard tests. We aim to reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases and exposure to harmful contaminants through comprehensive testing.
Support Environmental Stewardship: By providing detailed analyses of water quality, we empower communities to make informed decisions about environmental management, helping to preserve natural water sources for future generations.
Promote Public Health and Wellbeing: We strive to enhance public health by ensuring clean and safe water, thereby contributing to the overall wellbeing of the community members.

Measuring Progress:
To track our progress towards these goals, we will use specific indicators:

Number of Contaminants Identified: This measures our ability to detect a broader range of potential pollutants compared to baseline data, demonstrating the effectiveness of our testing technology.
Community Engagement and Feedback: Regular surveys and feedback sessions with the communities we serve will help assess satisfaction and the perceived effectiveness of our water testing services.
Alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
Our solution aligns with several SDGs, particularly:

SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): We contribute to this goal by ensuring availability and sustainable management of water. Indicators include the proportion of the population using safely managed drinking water services.
SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Our efforts to reduce contaminants directly impact public health. Relevant indicators are the incidence of waterborne diseases.
SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): By maintaining high water quality, we support sustainable urban development. Indicators might include reductions in pollution-related health incidents.

These goals and measures will guide all aspects of our work, ensuring that every step we take moves us closer to a transformative impact on the communities we serve.

The major technologies being utilized in Nibi-Clear's solution include energy activators, spectroscopy, and traditional ecological knowledge. A research facility designed for activation analysis uses a controlled process to generate high-energy particles that cause the properties of materials to emit energy, aiding scientific investigations. This type of facility is instrumental by enabling precise measurements and experiments. If connected to the community, expand connections and knowledge for traditional water technologies.

Nibi-Clear currently operates primarily in the Great Lakes region, serving various tribal nations and Indigenous entities within this area. However, our operations are not confined to this region alone. We aim to expand our services across the United States and Canada, wherever our services are requested by tribal nations or Indigenous entities. We are committed to adapting and responding to the needs of Indigenous communities throughout these countries.

Over the next year, Nibi-Clear plans to expand our operations to include areas within the Southwest and Plains regions of the United States. We are actively exploring opportunities and partnerships that will allow us to serve Indigenous communities in these regions, aligning with our commitment to providing services wherever they are requested by tribal nations or Indigenous entities.

Currently, Nibi-Clear operates as a grassroots business with a dedicated team of one. I am fully committed to managing all aspects of our operations, from the scientific application of our testing methods to community engagement and administrative tasks. As we grow and expand our reach to more communities, we look forward to welcoming new team members who share our vision and commitment to improving water quality for Indigenous populations.

The idea for Nibi-Clear was conceived in 2017 during a project with the Bay Mills Indian Community to improve local water quality. This initial phase shaped our foundational concepts. By 2019, Nibi-Clear launched a pilot program to serve additional Indigenous communities, refining our approach through practical application. The global pandemic later slowed our progress, impacting our operations and outreach. Nevertheless, in 2022, Nibi-Clear was positioned to expand, focusing on delivering our water testing services to more Indigenous communities. Nibi-Clear has been dedicated to developing and implementing this solution for seven years.

Nibi-Clear is a grassroots organization, Ojibwe-founded and currently operated solely by a female queer Ojibwe founder. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity, especially within the engineering sector where these values are often underrepresented. Our focus is on elevating Indigenous perspectives and ecological stewardship, integral elements of our mission. As we look to expand our team, we plan to establish a board that embodies these principles, ensuring that Indigenous voices and other people of color are well-represented. By doing so, Nibi-Clear aims to create an environment that not only values diversity but actively supports the significant role of Indigenous communities in ecological management. 

Diversity in our context means embracing a range of cultural, social, and identity-based attributes, which enrich our perspectives and approaches to ecological stewardship and engineering solutions. Equity is central to our mission; we strive to create opportunities that acknowledge and address the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities, particularly in sectors where they are underrepresented like engineering. Inclusion for us means building an environment where all future team members feel valued, respected, and supported. We aim to foster a workplace where diverse individuals can thrive, contribute their best, and feel connected to our overarching goals.

Nibi-Clear provides a critical service to tribal nations by offering culturally sensitive and comprehensive water testing. Our services enable tribes to identify and quantify contaminants in their drinking, tap, and groundwater. This information is crucial for safeguarding public health and maintaining sustainable water management practices. By ensuring that our testing processes respect cultural practices, we not only provide valuable data but also foster trust and collaboration.

Initially, Nibi-Clear was funded through a unique fundraising model where homemade crafts such as t-shirts with Indigenous designs, beaded earrings, and cedar resin-set earrings were sold. The founder created and sold these items, dedicating 100% of the profits to cover the costs associated with water testing and travel to tribal communities. Additionally, in the past year, Nibi-Clear has been awarded a grant, which has allowed us to shift our focus from financial sustainability to expanding our outreach and enhancing our services. We continue to participate in pow wows, both for fundraising and as a vital part of our outreach strategy, connecting directly with the communities we serve.

Our primary service involves conducting third-party water testing for tribal nations upon request. The process begins with a consultation to ensure that all cultural considerations are understood and respected. Following the testing, we provide the tribes with detailed reports of the findings and the original data, empowering them with the knowledge needed to address any water quality issues.

Our key customers are tribal nations that require independent and culturally informed water testing services. These communities are not only beneficiaries in terms of receiving essential services but are also partners in our mission to improve water quality and health outcomes.

Nibi-Clear is dedicated to having a transformative impact on the communities we serve by providing tools and data for better water management and public health strategies. Our approach ensures that tribal nations have access to high-quality, reliable water testing services, contributing to the overall well-being and sustainability of their communities.

Nibi-Clear has implemented a multifaceted approach to achieve financial sustainability, leveraging multiple revenue streams that include service sales, fundraising through craft sales, and grants. We provide specialized water testing services to tribal nations, it costs Nibi-Clear approximately $200 per sample using Energy Activation Analysis (EAA), not including additional costs for travel. This forms the core of our revenue generation. To complement this, we continue to engage in grassroots fundraising activities, such as selling handmade crafts with Indigenous designs at cultural events like pow wows. This not only supports our financial base but also enhances community engagement and awareness about our mission.

The success of these strategies is underscored by the significant grant we received from the Gordon J. Hammersley Foundation last year, which was instrumental in establishing our initial operations and extending our outreach. This grant exemplifies the confidence that external funders have in our vision and strategic direction. Additionally, the revenue generated from our contracted water testing services and craft sales has steadily covered a substantial part of our operational costs, providing a practical demonstration of our business model’s viability.

Looking ahead, Nibi-Clear is committed to expanding our service offerings and exploring further funding opportunities. Our aim is to increase the number of service contracts with tribal nations, leveraging successful case studies to attract new clients and secure recurring grant funding. By demonstrating the impact of our work, we position ourselves as a strong candidate for future environmental and health-focused grants. Moreover, expanding our craft sales to include a wider variety of products could potentially increase profitability, contributing to our long-term financial goals.

Through these strategies, Nibi-Clear is dedicated to building a robust financial foundation that not only supports our operational needs but also amplifies our impact on the water safety and public health of tribal communities.