Leveraging a Stalemate
CHALLENGE: T’it’q’et’s Towinock IR#2 (located in BC’s central interior) requires a water system upgrade. A primary concern for the community is that some individuals live with chlorine allergy and object to the use of chlorination for water disinfection as required by regulatory agencies.
SOLUTION: The community leadership invited the partners to meet with community members on several occasions to discuss treatment options, associated risks and alternative disinfection processes. These included ultraviolet technology and utilizing chlorination only in emergency situations, while removing chlorine residuals at specific homes.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS: Through conversation, the participants moved toward a collaborative mindset, exploring alternative solutions versus applying the historical “either/or” approach that had historically caused frustration and confrontation.
T’it’q’et’s Towinock IR#2 in BC is upgrading its water system, exploring UV disinfection and emergency chlorination to address chlorine allergies in the community.
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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.
Operators’ Walkthrough Lab (OWL): Digital Circle in Action
RESEAU created AR apps for virtual walkthroughs of water treatment plants, enabling community input, reducing design errors, and providing remote monitoring and training. These tools were piloted at Yukon University in 2020 to support operator training and design accuracy.
