Water security remains concern for First Nation communities

Water security has long been complicated for northern Saskatchewan communities.

Recent investments by the federal government have largely improved water security, but the Federated Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) believes there are major oversights in the investments into water security.

“There are cycles of one-time investments that create a lot of activity and improve the situation for a couple of years, then things deteriorate and there is another call for government to do something,” FSIN 1^st Vice Chief David Pratt told Eagle Feather News.

Despite the billions invested to try end long-term water advisories on First Nations safe water still remains a real concern in many communities.

Although funding for water treatment plants remedied a significant amount of the boil water advisories across the province, the investments neglected infrastructure, Pratt explained, and now that infrastructure is crumbling.

“As pipes age, the odds of a break increase and when that happens, it triggers an advisory,” said Pratt. “In Saskatchewan, the cause of boil water advisories are now mostly related to distribution.”

Another distribution issue is the continual water advisory in place for thousands of families with aging cisterns in their yards. Cisterns, or a water receptacle, are used to store water for domestic use purposes.

“These advisories (for aging cisterns) aren’t reported because they don’t apply to the entire community, so they don’t get the same attention,” said Pratt.

Under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the federal government announced $1.5 billion in investments for clean drinking water in First Nations communities across Saskatchewan.

While First Nations like Star Blanket Cree Nation were able to lift long-term boil water advisories thanks to the investment, as of March 18 there were still 12 boil water advisories for First Nations in Saskatchewan.

“Currently the federal government only has policy to guide them on First Nations drinking water. FSIN has always supported the idea of federal water legislation for First Nations, but it has to protect our rights and our health,” said Pratt.

Climate change is also impacting water security in terms of a long-term trend towards more drought, said Pratt. According to the Canadian Climate Institute, climate change has made droughts more frequent and severe around the world, and the trend is expected to worse. Due to severe drought, crop production in Saskatchewan in 2021 dropped by a record 47 percent.

“We have to think about ways to ensure First Nation communities will have supplies of source water for drinking and to grow food,” he said.

These concerns, among others, were discussed last month at the first FSIN Sustaining the Lives of Our People in Saskatoon. During the two day conference, the FSIN, as well as several other speakers and experts, shared insights and strategies on issues like water and food security, homelessness, treaty rights, and environmental contaminants.

“Our goal was to create opportunities for participants working in food, water, and homelessness to discuss common issues and potentially find opportunities to develop out of the box solutions,” said Pratt. “Everyone is being affected by external events, and it will be important for us to work together.”

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