Photo: Jet Lowe · Public domainLiving in Gakona, AK: what to set up and who to call
The Gulkana Village water system reported 10 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×10. 78% of systems its size reported none. Gakona has no town government of its own, so Copper River Census Area runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Copper River School District.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Gakona, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Gakona.
Power comes from Birch Creek Village Elec Util
Birch Creek Village Elec Util (Birch Creek Village Elec Util - (AK)), a municipal utility, serves all of Gakona.
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Gulkana Village water system
The Gulkana Village water system supplies Gakona: about 0% of residents live in its service area. About 100% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws surface water and serves 54 people in all.
10 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×10, the latest beginning Apr 2026. 78% of the 11,392 systems serving <=100 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Dec 2024, was 2.7 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. The highest in five years was 11.3 ppb. That’s higher than 79% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. AK2380214.
1 home internet providers serve Gakona
99% of 266 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 99% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Valley Telephone | Fiber, DSL | 100% | 1,000/1,000 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Gakona’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Gakona.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Gakona is in Copper River School District.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
Gakona is unincorporated, so Copper River Census Area is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Gakona is in ZIP code 99586
ZIP codes where Gakona residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Gakona | ZIP’s residents in Gakona |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99586 | Gakona, AK | 100% | 36% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Gakona
Who supplies Gakona’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Gulkana Village water system (EPA ID AK2380214). It reported 10 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×10. 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 2.7 ppb (Jan–Dec 2024), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Gakona?
Birch Creek Village Elec Util (Birch Creek Village Elec Util - (AK)), a municipal utility.
What internet providers serve Gakona?
Copper Valley Telephone (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Gakona?
99586. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Gakona in?
Copper River School District.
How do I register to vote in Gakona?
In Alaska you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Absentee and Petition Office. Check your registration at myvoterportal.alaska.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.