Water.ca - The Water Chronicles

July 30, 2010

Boiling Point!
by the Polaris Institute in collaboration with the Assembly of First Nations
and supported by the Canadian Labour Congress. Full Report
Highlights
Foreword Phil Fontaine - Phil Fontaine, National Chief, Assembly of First Nations

First Nations have always viewed water as a sacred trust. From time immemorial, First Nations have centered their existence on water. From the careful selection of community sites, as a means of transportation and dependence on the harvest from the waters.
Today, it is unacceptable that many of our First Nations should be subjected to conditions where there is no access to safe potable water.
In 2005, the Commissioner of Environment and Sustainable Development issued a very critical review of the activities undertaken and lack of progress made by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and Health Canada in providing safe drinking water to First Nations. Finally, on March 22, 2006, INAC and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) agreed to the Plan of Action for Drinking Water in First Nation communities.
First Nations continue to be frustrated by the lack of real progress being made in addressing the shameful conditions of many First Nation communities. In 2008, at least 85 First Nation water systems are in high risk and there are close to 100 boil water advisories in various communities.../ more


	Six First Nation Communities Lansdowne House (Neskantaga), Ontario Pop: 282 Loc: 500 km north of Thunder Bay Access: Ice Roads - Lansdowne House Airport Chief Alex Moonias 2001- community’s water system was deemed as high risk 2004 - water system shut down after environmental tests found gasoline and a high level of Trihalomethane (THM), associated with an increased risk of cancer THM levels remain high in the water and are a source of dispute between Health Canada and Neskantaga’s band council Related Info Neskantaga First Nation Wikipedia Community Profile Aboriginal Canada Ontario First Nations map Government of Ontario Community stats and info Statistics Canada Karen Moonias Home page Myknet.org Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Pop: 2,600 Largest Algonquin Nation in Canada Loc: 130 km north of Gatineau/Hull, just outside the municipality of Maniwaki Access: Hwy's 117- 107 from Montreal Chief Stephen McGregor One of the six communities that remain in the priority community category under the federal government’s Plan of Action for Drinking Only a small percentage of the homes in the community are connected to Maniwaki’s water distribution system, the rest of the residents use well water. 1999 - Health Canada found high levels of uranium, a toxic heavy chemical found in rocks, in the groundwater and imposed a do not consume drinking water advisory or well water users Treating individual wells is not an option because it causes dangerous levels of radon gas. Nearly 10 percent of people living in Kitigan Zibi were connected to tap water from Maniwaki in 2006. The tap water was unfiltered water taken from the Gatineau River the Municipality of Maniwaki started upgrading their water system in August 2006 Related Info Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council Map of Area Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council Old Burial Ground Specific Claim Indian and Northern Affairs Community stats and info Statistics Canada Lightning Drum Singers You Tube Pikangikum First Nation, Ontario Pop: remote community of 2300, one of the largest populations for a First Nations community in northern Ontario Loc: the eastern shores of Pikangikum Lake in the Sioux Lookout District of northwestern Ontario. 100 kilometres north of Red Lake Access: Primarily by airplane Pikangikum Airport Chief Paddy Peters highest rates of original language retention of any First Nation in Northern Ontario In 2000, the First Nation was reported to have the highest suicide rate in the world adequate water treatment plant that is capable of producing enough potable water for the entire community but 90 percent of the homes remained unconnected. Everyone uses outhouses. When they fill up another hole is dug and the outhouse is moved over top of it. This is typical in a community where the majority of outhouses are full and overflowing with sewage 2000 - an oil leak was found in the community’s water treatment plant which left everyone without access to clean water. Water is flown in wheather permitting The rate of gastrointestinal infections, skin infections, lice infestations, urinary tract infections, and eye and ear infections are higher than in other regional First Nation and non-Aboriginal communities Despite the clear reality that Pikangikum is in crisis, it is not considered one of the 21 priority communities identified under the federal government’s Plan of Action for Drinking Water in First Nations Communities Related Info Pikangikum First Nation Wikipedia Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Community Profile Statistics Canada White Feather forest initiative Whitefeatherforest.com Rez Water - water.ca report More News on main site WEEKENDER Archives


	Fort Chipewyan, Alberta Pop: 1,200 Loc: 200 kilometres from Fort McMurray, the centre of the Alberta tar sands, and 600 kilometres northeast from Edmonton Access: roads may be seasonally closed - Fort Chipewyan Airport Chief Allan Adam The case of Fort Chipewyan is about access to safe drinking water including access to clean source water. Alberta’s tar sands is absolutely tied to the fate of Fort Chipewyan’s water. Dr. John O’Connor, a physician who started treating residents of Fort Chipewyan in late 2000, noticed unusually high incidences of illnesses. In particular, he noticed unusual rates of cholangiocarcinoma, a bile duct cancer that is very rare 2007 - A report has found differing levels of chemical constituents -including arsenic, total phenols and lead - that exceed guideline levels at various places and times downstream of the tar sands ‘digging zone.’ Related Info Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Athabasca Tribal Council Chipewyan Wikipedia Alberta First Nations map and info Indian and Northern Affairs Community stats and info Statistics Canada Why is Cancer Sweeping Tiny Fort Chipewyan? Mostly Water Fort Chipewyan rails at oilsands company over water quality CBC Little Salmon Carmacks, Yukon Pop: 621, almost half of whom live outside the community Loc: 180 kilometres north of Whitehorse on the Klondike Highway, near its junction with the Robert Campbell Highway Access: Highways Chief Ed Skookum The Little Salmon/Carmacks people are Northern Tutchone, part of the Athapaskan language grouping. Approximately 90 individual wells and a well providing truck delivery compose the community’s water supply. The First Nation has been on a boil water advisory for over three years Despite being at risk of a potential E. coli contamination (E. coli was responsible for the Walkerton tragedy), the community was not considered a priority community under the federal government’s Plan of Action. Part of the challenge Little Salmon Carmacks and other communities face stems from their reliance on individual wells for drinking water. The operation, maintenance and upgrading of individual wells and septic systems continues to be considered a homeowner’s responsibility by INAC. 2005- an independent survey by Vista Tek found that 37 per cent of the then 82 wells had either naturally occurring bacteria or E-coli bacteria The Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) with Industry Canada has advised FN officials that individual service connections are not eligible for funding under the program The Yukon government has also made it clear that it does not have jurisdiction over the cases of individual wells in First Nations territory 2007- announcement of a joint initiative between the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) to help provide clean drinking water in Little Salmon Carmacks. The union will volunteer labour, tools and funds to help fix approximately 90 wells in order to eliminate the risk of E. coli contamination. Related Info Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Yukon Government Map and info Yukon First Nations Little Salmon Carmacks Wikipedia First Nation demands Carmacks Copper Mine be halted Marketwire Make Poverty History for First nations CAW Media Advisory Yellow Quill first Nation, Saskatchewan Pop: 1000 Loc: 19 km northwest of Kelvington Access: Road- Air Chief Robert Whitehead Dr. Hans Peterson,from the Safe Drinking Water Foundation arrived in Yellow Quill, the first observation he made was that the water treatment centre had a noxious odour and the system operator did not know which chemicals to add to the water. Yellow Quill got its water from Pipestone Creek which only flows for five to 15 days every spring and upstream a nearby town emptied its sewage lagoon into the same creek. The community was put under a boil-water advisory in 1995 and remained under advisory until 2004 The water was tainted with sewage as well as the high particle levels including viruses, bacteria, Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium cysts. The Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines do not set clear standards for Giardia and Cryptosporidium Cryptosporidium is not easy to inactivate and can cause serious health problems 2001- outbreak of cryptosporidium in North Battleford Saskatchewan, six to seven thousand people became ill (no fatalities). Afterwards, a full inquiry was ordered by the government of Saskatchewan Having eventually secured INAC’s support, the Foundation went on to develop a technique for treatment and testing that produced safe drinking water in Yellow Quill which addressed the presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium. The source water was also changed from Pipestone Creek to an underground well The new treatment facility includes a biofiltration system designed by Hans Peterson of the Safe Drinking Water Foundation Related Info First Nation Bands of Saskatchewan sicc.sk.ca Yellow Quill first Nation Wikipedia Yellow Quill The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan Federation of SasKatchewan Indian Nations Fsin.com Second toddler found dead on Yellow Quill First Nation Regina Leader-Post Yellow Quill chief proposing drug and alcohol treatment centre Saskatoon Star Phoenix