This website is meant for my Environmental Justice class, and it is discussing the pressing issue of water quality on First Nation Lands. The post are out of order and are meant to be read in this order:
Who is affected?
Government Involvment
Drinking Water Advisories
Kashechewan
What now?
Sources
Friday, December 14, 2012
Sources
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1303134042666/1303134337338
http://www.cjeffery.com/images/Canada_map.jpg
http://www.justmeans.com/First-Nations-Water-Rights-Conference-in-Canada-Signals-Turning-Point-We-Should-All-Pay-Attention/53290.html
http://www.globalnews.ca/health/interactive+map/6442563948/story.html
http://media.knet.ca/node/1655
http://sebastianwhite.com/blog/?p=4690
http://www.socialistvoice.ca/?p=75
http://www.janegoodall.ca/project-blue/FirstNationsandWater.html
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/macleans/evacuation-of-kashechewan-reserve-an-overreaction
http://theagenda.tvo.org/blog/agenda-blogs/water-crisis-ontario-first-nations-reserves
http://www.wawataynews.ca/archive/all/2011/4/20/afn-weighs-pikangikum-water-woes_21351
http://www.globalnews.ca/health/interactive+map/6442563948/story.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aboriginals/kashechewan.html
http://media.knet.ca/node/1655
What now?
There are a handful of options for the Canadian government and for First Nation tribes. The first option is for the Canadian government to take action and responsibility for the poor health conditions on reserves. However, in order for this to occur, an estimated 4.7 billion dollars over the next ten years must be invested according to the National Engineering Assessment rather than the 5 million dollars spent annually for drinking water safety problems.
Is it likely that the Canadian government will invest all the time and money necessary to upgrade these facilities in these remote areas? It is difficult to say as Health Canada and the public are likely not wanting another water disaster like in Kashechewan, however these upgrade will cost a lot and will most likely hike up Canadian taxes.
The alternative to government intervention is privatization of municipal water facilities on first nation lands. This would take the responsibility away from the government and into the hands of corporations. A handful of politicians in the federal government prefer this option as they view as a quick fix and beneficial to first nations. One the other hand, it is risky placing this basic need of clean water in the hands of corporations because there really is no accountability on their part for providing affordable services to first nations.
So far the discussion of water quality on first nation lands is still in the works, as data is still being released and the government is still talking about what needs to be done. However, it is clear that this is a major issue, and simply slapping a water advisory on a community is a temporary fix, a mere bandaid on open gash. The government needs to act in the interest of the first nations and provide quality municipal facilities.
Is it likely that the Canadian government will invest all the time and money necessary to upgrade these facilities in these remote areas? It is difficult to say as Health Canada and the public are likely not wanting another water disaster like in Kashechewan, however these upgrade will cost a lot and will most likely hike up Canadian taxes.
The alternative to government intervention is privatization of municipal water facilities on first nation lands. This would take the responsibility away from the government and into the hands of corporations. A handful of politicians in the federal government prefer this option as they view as a quick fix and beneficial to first nations. One the other hand, it is risky placing this basic need of clean water in the hands of corporations because there really is no accountability on their part for providing affordable services to first nations.
So far the discussion of water quality on first nation lands is still in the works, as data is still being released and the government is still talking about what needs to be done. However, it is clear that this is a major issue, and simply slapping a water advisory on a community is a temporary fix, a mere bandaid on open gash. The government needs to act in the interest of the first nations and provide quality municipal facilities.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Kashechewan
One of the most significant examples of water quality issues on first nation lands is the devastating event that occurred in October 2005 to the Kashechewan people.
The Kashechewan people are part of the Cree First Nation, one of the largest native tribes in North America. This community is located in north-eastern Ontario and is located on a flood plain, which means that flooding often occurs and can contaminate the water supply due to over capacity. Below I've attached a map of where the Kashechewan community is located:
View Larger Map
What occurred in 2005 to this community was devastating and forced over half the population, roughly 1000 people out of about 1900, to evacuate. The people affected were relocated to various cities around the Ontario area and the evacuation cost were estimated to be roughly $16 million (http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aboriginals/kashechewan.html). This community had already been under a boil water advisory (BWA) since 2003, when in October '05 the communities' water supply became contaminated with E.Coli, uranium and unstable chlorine levels. This resulted in "scabies, chronic diarrhea, headaches and fevers." (http://media.knet.ca/node/1655)
According to Media Knet "Kashechewan’s water treatment plant, funded 10 years ago by Indian Affairs, was designed by out-of-town consultants. It was placed downstream from an existing sewage lagoon. That means contaminants flow past the intake pipe that feeds raw water into the complex system to be treated for drinking."
This event enlightened many Canadian's eyes on the conditions that some first nation tribes live in, despite the media and governments attempt to blame "serious health problems of the community on its long history of overcrowding and squalor, not any recent change in water quality" (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/macleans/evacuation-of-kashechewan-reserve-an-overreaction). Even if overcrowding were to be the case, this community had been under a BWA for 2yrs previous to this disaster. The government placed the BWA as a solution, however as evident in the picture above this was only temporary.
What occurred in 2005 to this community was devastating and forced over half the population, roughly 1000 people out of about 1900, to evacuate. The people affected were relocated to various cities around the Ontario area and the evacuation cost were estimated to be roughly $16 million (http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aboriginals/kashechewan.html). This community had already been under a boil water advisory (BWA) since 2003, when in October '05 the communities' water supply became contaminated with E.Coli, uranium and unstable chlorine levels. This resulted in "scabies, chronic diarrhea, headaches and fevers." (http://media.knet.ca/node/1655)
According to Media Knet "Kashechewan’s water treatment plant, funded 10 years ago by Indian Affairs, was designed by out-of-town consultants. It was placed downstream from an existing sewage lagoon. That means contaminants flow past the intake pipe that feeds raw water into the complex system to be treated for drinking."
This event enlightened many Canadian's eyes on the conditions that some first nation tribes live in, despite the media and governments attempt to blame "serious health problems of the community on its long history of overcrowding and squalor, not any recent change in water quality" (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/macleans/evacuation-of-kashechewan-reserve-an-overreaction). Even if overcrowding were to be the case, this community had been under a BWA for 2yrs previous to this disaster. The government placed the BWA as a solution, however as evident in the picture above this was only temporary.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Drinking Water Advisories
So what exactly are the drinking water advisories that the government is putting these first nation tribes on? Well there are three different "levels", and these go up in severity and concern, a boil water advisory, a do not consume advisory, and a do not use advisory. These drinking water advisories are put into effect when Environmental Health Officials suggest to the Chief and Council that these are necessary. The Chief and Council are also responsible for letting residents know of the concerns and the advisories. However a do not drink advisory is under the jurisdiction of the Public Health Act and must be issued by a Medical Officer.
The first level, and the one of "least" concern is a Boil Water Advisory or BWA.
A BWA is put into place when a water supply has "unacceptable levels of disease-causing bacteria, viruses or parasites in the water system anywhere from the source to the tap" (health canada). This include E. Coli contamination as well as questionable water quality. This can be a result of outdated water treatment facilities, unskilled works or facilities that are at capacity. Under this advisory, First Nations are instructed to boil their water before drinking the water, using it to cook food or for showering and cleaning. Drinking water must be brought to a rolling boiling for at least 1 min to be considered safe.
The next level is a do not consume advisory or DNCA.
Under a DNCA, boiling water is not sufficient in removing the contaminants in the water. A DNCA is put into place when a chemical contaminant is in a water supply, such as uranium or mercury. In cases like these, First Nation communities are often forced to travel to access clean water, and even then in some cases the water that they are retrieving are still under a BWA.
And finally there is a do not use advisory or DNUA.
According to Health Canada as of October 31, 2012 there are "122 First Nation communities across Canada under a drinking water advisory". The reasons for why so many First Nation communities are under drinking water advisories can vary, but it has a lot to to with the remoteness of where the community is located which leads to two things, either the government does not see the benefit of immediately fixing the costly problem of upgrading these water treatment facilities or much needed skilled workers are difficult to retain in these remote areas. These advisories are merely temporary solutions to inadequate disinfection/unsanitary drinking water and do not actually address the issue of contaminated water.
The first level, and the one of "least" concern is a Boil Water Advisory or BWA.
A BWA is put into place when a water supply has "unacceptable levels of disease-causing bacteria, viruses or parasites in the water system anywhere from the source to the tap" (health canada). This include E. Coli contamination as well as questionable water quality. This can be a result of outdated water treatment facilities, unskilled works or facilities that are at capacity. Under this advisory, First Nations are instructed to boil their water before drinking the water, using it to cook food or for showering and cleaning. Drinking water must be brought to a rolling boiling for at least 1 min to be considered safe.
The next level is a do not consume advisory or DNCA.
Under a DNCA, boiling water is not sufficient in removing the contaminants in the water. A DNCA is put into place when a chemical contaminant is in a water supply, such as uranium or mercury. In cases like these, First Nation communities are often forced to travel to access clean water, and even then in some cases the water that they are retrieving are still under a BWA.
And finally there is a do not use advisory or DNUA.
In cases where the water is deemed unsafe due to a chemical spill, a DNUA is put into effect. Water that is contaminated at this level cannot be boiled or used for daily purposes.
According to Health Canada as of October 31, 2012 there are "122 First Nation communities across Canada under a drinking water advisory". The reasons for why so many First Nation communities are under drinking water advisories can vary, but it has a lot to to with the remoteness of where the community is located which leads to two things, either the government does not see the benefit of immediately fixing the costly problem of upgrading these water treatment facilities or much needed skilled workers are difficult to retain in these remote areas. These advisories are merely temporary solutions to inadequate disinfection/unsanitary drinking water and do not actually address the issue of contaminated water.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Government Involvement
So how is the Canadian government involved in this environmental justice issue? Well, from what I understand water policy is determined by province or territory, not unlike our own laws in the United States in which each state "adopts goals or standards that need to be met for its waters" (EPA http://water.epa.gov/learn/resources/quality.cfm). However, there are exceptions to the scope of provincial regulation as "federal lands,
boundary and transboundary waters, ocean and inland fisheries, and commercial navigation"are under the federal government's jurisdiction.
So what does this all mean? Where do first nations fall under these regulations and who is responsible for ensuring that they have access to one of the basic needs of life? Well, along with the territorial government's regulations and advisories, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) and Health Canada are example of agencies who are supposedly leading the efforts for these aboriginal tribes.
However, because these populations are so small in comparison to tribes that live within the city, the government often neglects these areas and hopes that the problem simply goes away. With no established water quality regulations on reserves, these government agencies aren't held accountable for the health and safely of these first nation people. This was evident in the Kashechewan water facility disaster in 2005, in which the neglect of the facility resulted in the evacuation of over 1000 people, roughly half of the population of the town, and contaminated the water with E. Coli and unstable chlorine levels.
This event is the poster child for government neglect in regards to water on first nation lands, as explained by Charlie Angus, a Canadian Politician:
Angus explains that Health Canada addresses water quality issues by simply telling first nation tribes to boil their water, and then putting the area on advisory. Rather than spending the money to update these facilities or to employ properly trained workers, the government allows these vulnerable populations to go months and even years with tainted water. According to Angus, roughly "39% of first nation communities in Canada are high risk...and 34% are at medium risk" of water contamination.
While the Canadian government is aware of water quality issues on first nation lands, they are reluctant to put forward the estimated $4.7 billion dollars "over 10 years to bring First Nations up to the standards enjoyed by other Canadians" (National Engineering Assessment).
So what does this all mean? Where do first nations fall under these regulations and who is responsible for ensuring that they have access to one of the basic needs of life? Well, along with the territorial government's regulations and advisories, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) and Health Canada are example of agencies who are supposedly leading the efforts for these aboriginal tribes.
This event is the poster child for government neglect in regards to water on first nation lands, as explained by Charlie Angus, a Canadian Politician:
Angus explains that Health Canada addresses water quality issues by simply telling first nation tribes to boil their water, and then putting the area on advisory. Rather than spending the money to update these facilities or to employ properly trained workers, the government allows these vulnerable populations to go months and even years with tainted water. According to Angus, roughly "39% of first nation communities in Canada are high risk...and 34% are at medium risk" of water contamination.
While the Canadian government is aware of water quality issues on first nation lands, they are reluctant to put forward the estimated $4.7 billion dollars "over 10 years to bring First Nations up to the standards enjoyed by other Canadians" (National Engineering Assessment).
Who is affected and why is this important?
Aboriginal people make up roughly 4% of the Canadian population, as of the 2006 census. Although this is a small percentage of the population of Canada, that does not mean that their natural human rights can be neglected. This is also why their lack of access to clean water and proper municipal facilities is a major environmental justice issue.
A number of first nations tribes are affected water quality issues, and depending on the severity of the situation, some often go years without access to clean drinking and bathing water. In January of 2012 Health Canada released a report with all the drinking water advisories since 2006 and the coinciding areas that were affected. This map details the tribes that have had a water advisory as well as the reason for the advisory.
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| Water Quality Map |
This map below details how long each area has been under advisory, as well as what type of advisory that was put into effect.
It is clearly visible from both these maps that this is no small issue, in fact a good chunk of First Nation tribes are affected by some form of water drinking advisory, a topic I will discuss in further detail in another post. Access to water is a basic human need, and these areas that are affected go on average, 772.6 days on some form of water advisory. Most of these areas either have no form of municipal water treatment, have a water treatment facility that is extremely outdated or at capacity, or have the treatment plant but do not have the properly skilled employees to run the plant, resulting in these 2+ year stretches and tribes left with severe health issues.
Because of these long periods of time, some are forced to boil all of their water for daily use, including for drinking purposes, showering and cleaning.
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