Discovering Common Ground
CHALLENGE: Two First Nations reserves in British Columbia (IR3 Spintlum and IR11 Yawaucht in the Lytton First Nation) were living under Boil Water Advisories (BWA).
As their water systems served fewer than five homes each, they were considered “individual systems” and were therefore not included in the national assessment conducted by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), then INAC, between 2009 and 2011.
SOLUTION: The long-standing BWAs were lifted in January 2017 thanks to a cross- institutional, collaborative problem-solving approach. The project united the efforts of several partnering organizations, including the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), Indigenous Services Canada, the First Nations’ Operators Water Net for British Columbia & Yukon Territories and private manufacturing, consulting and contracting firms. They worked closely throughout the fourth quarter of 2016 with the Lytton First Nation leadership, dedicated water operators and residents to assess the feasibility of point-of entry (POE) systems to meet site-specific needs of individual systems.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS: The partners sought to determine the circumstances under which a POE approach would be cost effective compared with other alternative treatment options. Partners identified site-specific considerations that could impact the system’s effectiveness, such as water quality variations, water demand, test protocols, public education, technology selection, installation, operations, monitoring plans, liabilities, capital and operating and maintenance costs and logistic and administration strategies.
A collaborative project lifted long-standing Boil Water Advisories in two small First Nations reserves in BC by implementing point-of-entry systems. The effort involved multiple partners focusing on site-specific, cost-effective solutions.
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Mobile Research Labs
Our advanced mobile labs promote design thinking by creating opportunities for a deeper understanding of the needs and interests of the community, operators, and other stakeholders, including government and regulatory bodies.
Water Health Equity
One in six Canadians, including the majority of 1.6 million Indigenous people, live in rural areas and often face exposure to negative health and socio-economic impacts from unsafe drinking water. It’s a persistent crisis that has dragged on for decades, a dubious achievement for a rich nation often celebrated as a global humanitarian and human rights leader.
Treading Water
To tackle water advisories in Indigenous communities, we created "Treading Water," a 20-minute play with UBC's research-based theatre experts. The play highlights the experiences of water operators and communities, aiming to spark dialogue on water quality issues.
