The Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
CHALLENGE: Lytton First Nation (Nickeyeah IR#25) had been on frequent BWA for over a decade. In the past, there were initiatives undertaken to address water treatment system issues, but sustainable solutions remained elusive and major proposals had not been considered cost effective by the funding agency.
SOLUTION: The community leadership and operators worked together to leverage university resources, industry insight and community support. The participants developed an iterative pilot plan to investigate several pragmatic treatment options. An engineering firm was also engaged to identify ways to enhance the community’s water intake. The long-lasting BWA was lifted in 2015.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS: The partners brought together different components of the community, including leadership, operators, youth, residents, health authorities, funding agencies, consulting firms, manufacturing firms and contractors. Together, they worked to build consensus for success on the community’s terms, and ultimately created an affordable treatment solution for the community.
Lytton First Nation lifted a decade-long Boil Water Advisory in 2015 by collaborating with experts to test and implement cost-effective water treatment 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.
