Despite pledge to end drinking water advisories, these 2 Manitoba First Nations still live under them
CBC
It was a time of celebration and relief in Shoal Lake 40 First Nation on Wednesday morning, as the community that borders southeastern Manitoba and northwestern Ontario marked the opening of a new water treatment facility and the end of nearly 24 years without clean running water.
But more than 30 other First Nations are still fighting for access to clean drinking water that most Canadians take for granted, including two in northern Manitoba that have been under long-term drinking water advisories for years.
Shamattawa First Nation has been under a drinking water advisory since 2018, while Tataskweyak Cree Nation has been under an advisory since 2017.
Both have water treatment plants, but neither facility can provide clean drinking water.
According to the federal government's website, upgrades to the plants were recently completed.
But band Coun. Nathan Neckoway says even with upgrades to the Tataskweyak plant, which was built in the 1980s, the water is clean enough to use only for household activities such as doing laundry but is not safe to drink.
That means the community, about 700 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, must still rely on bottled water.