Ottawa pledges $43M for clean drinking water on Oneida Nation of the Thames
Global News
To end a long-term drinking water advisory, Oneida Nation of the Thames will switch to Lake Huron as its water source, and have its existing piped distribution system upgraded.
The federal government will invest $43 million in a bid to bring clean drinking water to residents of a London-area First Nation who have been under a drinking water advisory for more than two years, officials with the community said Thursday.
The move will see Oneida Nation of the Thames switch to Lake Huron as its main water source, and have its existing piped distribution system upgraded and expanded, bringing reliable and sustainable safe drinking water to more than 500 homes and community buildings, officials said.
The funding from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) will support the design and construction of the project, which is expected to take between 18 and 24 months to complete, for a late 2024 to early 2025 finish, officials said.
“Water is life. It’s been a long road, and while we have been resilient, we know that clean water is vital to the overall health of our community,” Oneida’s elected chief, Todd Cornelius, said in a statement.
“I look forward to the day when our community can drink water by simply turning on their tap. It’s time to get to work on making this a reality. I want to thank the people of Oneida and the Administration who have endured this process and worked to finalize this agreement.”
The upgrades will also mean improved fire protection for the existing community, and for homes and other buildings that have yet to be developed, officials said.
Oneida residents learned of the news on Wednesday as the community marked World Water Day, the international day to raise awareness of the more than two billion people around the world without access to safe water, officials said.
Oneida has been under a long-term drinking water advisory since September 2020, and before that had been under a self-imposed boil water advisory for a year.
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