WC131 JulyAugust 2023 - Magazine - Page 16
DRINKING WATER
”By working directly with Indigenous communities and leaders, project teams
can better understand local challenges and implement outreach programs
that can contribute to successful operation of water infrastructure.”
Infrastructure risks impacts
Despite the critical role of clean water in our lives, many
overlook its value. Imagine living without it for years, even
decades, due to operational and funding challenges that impact
your health. This reality, deeply felt in Indigenous communities,
breeds mistrust in water systems and must be considered in all
related projects.
The average Canadian uses approximately 335 litres of water
daily, yet many Indigenous communities must allocate resources
to secure clean water for basic needs. A University of Saskatchewan study on Indigenous water poverty revealed that these
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WATER C AN ADA • JULY/AUGUS T 2023
challenges lead to “ongoing stress and mental illness; economic
challenges such as having to purchase bottled water, missing
work, [a need to] replace treatment plant filters more often than
typically scheduled; and undesired cultural and spiritual shifts
like losing the ability to hold water ceremonies or continue traditional teachings. Participants [also] bore witness to [being] stereotyped as incompetent by non-Indigenous water treatment plant
experts, and frustrations with federal policies were described in
detail by Indigenous community councilors.”
By working directly with Indigenous communities and
leaders, project teams can better understand local challenges and
implement outreach programs that can contribute to successful
operation of water infrastructure.
A comprehensive approach
As a status member of the Mohawks of Akwesasne, former
manager of Technical Services at Matawa Tribal Council, former
president and Chair of the Ontario First Nations Technical
Services Corporation (OFNTSC), and past Chair of the Trilateral
Steering Committee for the resolution of LTDWAs in Ontario’s
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
Getty Images
Clean water isn’t enough
The repercussions of enduring decades-long drinking water
advisories have been traumatic for many Indigenous people, who
now seek mental health support to start healing. A holistic water
management strategy is one of the ways we can help prevent
future advisories and support community healing. Assessing the
entire water infrastructure during the design and construction of
new water systems marks the initial step toward this goal.
