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Cree Nation Returns Home After 7-Month Water Crisis
28 Jul
Summary
- Evacuees returning home after a seven-month absence due to water treatment issues.
- Water system upgrades completed, including new filters and pump replacements.
- Community faces annual flood risk, leaders push for relocation to higher ground.
Kashechewan First Nation residents are returning home starting August 4, concluding a nearly seven-month evacuation. The displacement was necessitated by a state of emergency declared on January 4 due to unsafe tap water, caused by issues at the community's water treatment plant. Over 2,300 residents were housed in hotels across Ontario.
Engineers confirmed that upgrades to the water treatment plant, including filter media replacement and pump repairs, have rendered the water safe. A new ultraviolet disinfection system is also being installed. Indigenous Services Canada will conduct quarterly water testing for at least the remainder of the year.
Leaders are also planning for the annual spring flood risk, advocating for the community's relocation to higher ground as promised by the federal government in 2019. This move aims to prevent future evacuations, which have been a recurring necessity due to the community's low-lying location.
