Funds announced to improve First Nation water systems

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The situation is urgent, says Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), and that's why a total of $600 million in new funding is flowing to improve the quality of water and wastewater treatment facilities in First Nations communities across the country.

Three federal ministries-INAC, Health, and Environment-came together on May 14 to announce that the monies will fund 65 major projects in 62 First Nations over the next two years. Also announced was a seven-part water management strategy to be implemented over the next five years to improve the safety of First Nations water supplies.

New statistics provided in a report entitled National Assessment of Water and Wastewater Systems in First Nations Communities (found on the Web at www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ps/hsg/gih/ci/ic/wq/wawa/) show that of the 740 water systems assessed on 691 reserves, 218, or 29 per cent, pose potential "high risk" that could negatively impact water quality. Another 46 per cent, or 337 community water systems, require some repair. That's a total of 555 First Nations.

Only 185 of the assessed water systems in First Nations communities showed minimal or no problems.

Of the 462 wastewater systems in 459 First Nations communities assessed, 70 per cent required repair, with 16 per cent of the total posing a potential risk to health and safety.

The assessment reports that some waters systems are under strain because of economic development and population growth in the communities, while others, because they draw their source water from rivers and lakes or from groundwater wells, might not be able to meet water guidelines on a consistent basis.

Another challenge to overcome, reads the report, is the lack of trained and experienced water and wastewater systems operators on reserve.

"Specific training is required to operate the systems using a modern treatment technology, such as Reverse Osmosis (RO) Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection to treat water. Special skills are required to operate the complex mechanical wastewater treatment systems."

The assessment determined that inadequate operation and maintenance practices by poorly equipped operators are resulting in the premature replacement of equipment and system components, and leads to service interruptions. This premature aging "poses a significant challenge in providing safe water and wastewater services."

The report recommends that a training strategy must be developed and implemented to ensure all water and treatment plant operators have the sufficient skills, knowledge and experience to accomplish their duties.

There are nine other recommendations set out in the report. Perhaps paramount among them is the monitoring and reporting system that needs to be developed to "enhance the detection of drinking water and wastewater problems," and the emergency response plans that must be developed and implemented when problems are detected.

The seven-part water management strategy announced May 14 is based on a multi-barrier approach to safe drinking water as set out in a May 2002 report prepared by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water in conjunction with the Water Quality Task Group of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.

The document is called From Source to Tap and can be found on the Health Canada Web site at www.hc-sc.gc.ca. It was prepared in response to the outbreaks of waterborne disease in Walkerton, Ont. and in North Battleford, Sask.

This multi-barrier approach is designed to protect source water from pollution, such as wastewater effluents. The assessment of the high-risk water systems in First Nations communities shows that faecal coliform was one of the materials found in the water that most frequently exceeded the maximum acceptable concentrations. Currently, 10 per cent of the total water systems in First Nations communities are under boil water advisories.

The seven parts of the management strategy include:

? upgrading and building water andwastewater facilities;

? effective water quality monitoring combined with a comprehensive and reporting regime;

? an effective and sustainable operation and maintenance program designed to ensure the quality of water supplies;

? continued expansion and enhancement of operator training and certification programs;

? integrated water quality management protocols;

? a public awareness campaign targeted at First Nations leaders, administrators and individual householders; and

? the establishment of a set of standards protocols and polices.

In Saskatchewan, work is already underway on four projects. A low-pressure water system will connect 21 homes with community water in Key First Nation. At Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation work is being done to replace the ground water treatment unit with a surface treatment unit. The project will also upgrade the pumping capacity. At White Bear First Nation, the water reservoir and building is being expanded, and a new well and demineralization unit is being added.

On Yellowquill First Nation the existing water supply and treatment system is being replaced. This project includes two wells, a water treatment plant with ground water treatment and a demineralization unit. It also means that 60 houses will now get piped in water.