Today, Northwest Angle No. 33's Angle Inlet community site held celebrations following the completion of a new water treatment plant for Angle Inlet. Chief Darlene Comegan and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services, announced today that with the water treatment plant complete, the community lifted three long-term drinking water advisories. The new centralized water treatment plant will provide reliable access to safe and clean drinking water for 100 residents. The water treatment plant meets the community's current needs and has the capacity to support future population growth over the next 20 years.
Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nation announces construction of new water treatment plant
Biigtigong Nishnaabeg held celebrations today to formally announce the construction of a new raw water intake and treatment plant. This new plant will provide a safe and reliable source of potable water capable of meeting the community's current and future needs. The announcement was made today by Chief Duncan Michano and Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services.
‘The wait was worth it’: Rouleau, Wilcox celebrate new water treatment plant
Residents in Rouleau and Wilcox and surrounding rural municipalities can enjoy clean, quality drinking water now that construction of a new water treatment plant is finished. More than a dozen people — including both mayors, municipal officials, provincial dignitaries, and project contractors — gathered in Rouleau on Sept. 28 for a grand opening ceremony to celebrate the $10.6 million regional water system project.
Batchewana First Nation celebrates new water treatment plant
Batchewana First Nation celebrated the official grand opening of its long-awaited Chi We Kwe Don water treatment plant in Goulais Bay 15A Thursday. The facility went online this past March, pumping clean, drinkable water into 49 homes in the small reserve situated 45 minutes north of Sault Ste. Marie for the first time in several years. The federal government allotted $14.6 million for feasibility, design and construction of the new water treatment plant in addition to 10 point-of-entry water systems for Obadjiwan 15E — another community belonging to Batchewana First Nation situated in the Batchawana Bay area.
Government Of Canada Progress Update On Improving Access To Clean Water In First Nations Communities
First Nations communities, with support from the Government of Canada, continue to make significant progress in ending all long-term drinking water advisories on reserve and building sustainable solutions to support access to safe, clean drinking water now and into the future. Today, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) provided an update on the progress toward clean drinking water in all First Nations communities. As of August 3, 2021, 32 First Nations communities across Canada are working to resolve 51 long-term drinking water advisories. In total, First Nations communities have lifted 108 long-term drinking water advisories, restoring reliable access to safe drinking water for approximately 6,350 homes and 467 buildings in 79 communities since November 2015.
Lhoosk’uz Dené village taps into clean water after a 20-year wait
Today, a remote Lhoosk’uz Dené community is holding a celebration to mark a joyful milestone. After decades of relying on bottled water, the village of about 50 people, located 200 kilometres west of Quesnel on Kluskus Lake, now has a steady supply of clean drinking water straight out of the tap, thanks to a new water treatment plant crafted to their unique needs. “We had to do things differently. And now, what was just a dream many years ago is reality,” says Chief Liliane Squinas. The robust treatment system relies primarily on ultraviolet light, paired with chlorine disinfection, to ensure clean drinking water that is free of harmful microbes. The setup is simple enough that it can be operated, maintained and even repaired without relying heavily on specialist skills or pricey components.
Ottawa lags on promise to end drinking-water advisories for First Nations
Shoal Lake 40 First Nation has been under a drinking-water advisory since 1997. The community’s new water treatment plant, due to come online in the summer, will finally provide safe water. The Trudeau government promised to eliminate all long-term advisories on reserves by March, but dozens still lack access to safe drinking water.
Lack of funding for piped water on First Nations in Sask. means some on reserves can’t drink from their taps
Rebecca Zagozewski, executive director with the Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association, says cisterns can pose health risks to those who rely on them. She says the structures can have cracked lids, which allows all sorts of debris to get into them — including rats, mice, drowned puppies and garbage — and they’re often not cleaned properly. On top of that, she says the Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association is concerned that there is no certification program for water truck drivers. The group wants to create such a program where drivers would have to be trained in how to keep the water safe and be held accountable if things go wrong. “Because right now there’s no accountability,” she says.
Boil water advisory lifted on Black Lake Denesuline First Nation after more than 7 years
A boil water advisory on the Black Lake Denesuline First Nation that has been in place for more than seven years has been lifted, according to the Government of Canada. The long-term drinking water advisory (LT-DWA) was lifted on January 23. Nearly 200 homes and buildings in the northern First Nation such as the school, fire hall and band office now have clean drinking water from the local water treatment plant.
Anishinaabe communities come together to continue protecting Lake Superior for future generations
Pays Plat Chief Peter Mushquash emphasized the importance of protecting Lake Superior for future generations during a Dec. 15 announcement of water treatment plant investments in his community and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg. “Water is important, it’s very important,” Chief Mushquash says. “That’s where we get our water, right out of Lake Superior. So we have to look after that Lake Superior. We have to be very careful with our water.”