sal’alhmec (Seton Lake Indian Band) is the first "blue" Indigenous community

Tsal’alhmec (Seton Lake Indian Band) is the first "blue" Indigenous community. The band adopted a resolution banning bottled water at community facilities and events. It also recognized the human right to water, and promotes public water services.

Tsal’alh joins 15 other Blue communities in Canada and three international Blue communities.

The Blue Communities Project is a joint initiative of the Council of Canadians and the Canadian union of Public Employees.

“It’s been nearly five years since countries in the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to recognize the human right to water and sanitation,” reads a press statement. “Canada was one of the few countries that failed to support this historic move. Though Canada has since expressed its support, the federal government has yet to give life to its endorsement of the human right to water and sanitation.”

The release goes on to say the lack of clean, drinking water in First Nations communities “is one of the shameful violations of human rights in Canada. In one of the richest countries in the world, it is incomprehensible why people are going without safe, clean drinking water.”

As of November, there were 127 First Nation communities under water advisory. At any given time, there are more than 100 Indigenous communities under water advisories, some without clean drinking water for as many as 15 years.