Hello and welcome to Green Schools Green Future. In this educational and informative blog, we will be uncovering the dark truth of water and sanitation rights among Indigenous communities in Canada. Although water and sanitation has been globally recognized as a vital human right, the federal government of Canada has not made this right a priority for the minority communities of Indigenous peoples. To this day, on many Indigenous reserves, the tap water is deemed undrinkable which has deteriorated their quality of life.
How Does This Affect Indigenous Communities?
- Cultural impact – Water is used for much more than hydration among Indigenous peoples. Water is recognized as a sacred spirit; a living entity
- Decline in health – due to the various harmful bacterias found in the unsanitary water, many Indigenous peoples have been faced with negative health impacts
- Severe housing shortage
- Limited access to foods of cultural importance (fish, shellfish, seal ect.)
- Financial concerns
- Construction of private wells for drinking water
Why is this Water Unsafe to Drink?
Exposure to waterborne parasites and bacteria capable of causing illnesses, disorders, and increased risk of cancer, are significantly more common among Indigenous peoples. 20-30 percent of water systems in Indigenous reserves posed a higher chance of producing hazardous drinking water in the last decade. These contaminants are a byproduct of deficient wastewater management both on and off reserves. Contaminants stem from the reaction of organic materials in uncleansed source water and the chemicals meant to disinfect it. Some common and dangerous bacteria include Escherichia Coli, Legionella Pneumophila, CryptoSporidium, Giardia Lamblia, Typhoid Fever and more. Communities are sometimes driven to evacuation because of the elevated levels of dangerous bacteria in their water. An example of this is the Escherichia Coli breakout in the Kashechewan reserve which led to the evacuation of 1000 residents. Major consequences come with these mass evacuations.
What Action has the Federal Government Taken in Order to Solve this?
26 water advisories have been entrenched in different reserves, water advisories are public health messages to warn those it may concern about unsafe drinking water. Some of these advisories have been active for more than 25 years. There is an extreme shortage of funding for maintenance and operation of drinking water systems on reserves. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has identified the amount as $138 million yearly. In a garish attempt to diffuse this situation, the liberal government has appointed Public Private Partnerships(P3s) as a solution. In the past, P3s have proven to be costly, ultimately leading to the privatisation of water and a decrease in community control and job opportunities. These decisions did not improve the quality of life on Indigenous reserves and have actually further harmed Indigenous communities.
Why do Water Advisories Exist?
- Marginalisation: When it comes to important decision making regarding the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples, the targeted communities are often pushed aside and left out of the discussion. The Canadian government has proposed a number of promises and new plans with no intention of fulfilling them. They are fully aware about the absence of safe drinking water on Indigenous reserves however, they have not taken the appropriate action necessary to strike positive change. These communities are victims of systemic and environmental racism which causes the pollution of waterways to affect Indigenous reserves disproportionately.
- Remote Areas: The government sets aside a rather limited amount of money when it comes to this issue. Certain reserves are located very far off from their primary water source or neighbouring cities. In these scenarios, the affected reserves do not have enough money in their budget to afford continuous maintenance. Affected reserves located in remote areas have to worry about the access they have to water. These reserves do not have a primary water source nearby causing them to travel great lengths to obtain unsafe drinking water.
- Maintenance of Systems: Many communities lack the finances necessary to maintain their water systems long term. The funds these reserves are provided with are simply not enough for continuous maintenance and maintenance required in the future.
Closing Remarks
Thank you for reading this far! Hopefully you have discovered new information on this pressing issue which has affected Canadian Indigenous communities for decades. These communities really need strong voices like yours to speak up for them and advocate for their rights. On behalf of Green Schools Green Futures I would like to thank you once again for your contribution to our journey. Your donations to the Green Schools Foundation have helped the Green Schools community grow and continue to shed light on these critical matters. If you would be so kind, please make a donation to our GSGF foundation so we can carry on with our work. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more!
Resources:
Lack of Clean Drinking Water in Indigenous communities — The Indigenous Foundation
Impacts of unsafe drinking water on Indigenous reserves — The Indigenous Foundation
