First Nations Water Symposium

Shaun MackieA/Regional Environmental Health Manager

The Capacity Gap & Initiatives on First Nations Water & Wastewater

Drinking Water Capacity Gap

Infrastructure and Training

Drinking Water Program

• Health Canada’s Environmental Public Health Program, serving First Nations, is over 50 years old.

• Nationally, Health Canada works in partnership over 600 First Nations south of the 60o parallel.

• Drinking water is one of our eight “core programs”.

• Goal: Establishing drinking water quality monitoring programs.

Water Sampling/Testing Equipment

Sampling Equipment• bottles, colourimeters, forms

Colilert Lab• incubators, sealers, trays, bottles, media, etc

Training

Training and support of community based water sampling

programs takes two primary forms:

• EHO training - sampling methods, Colilert procedures

• Formal training, e.g.Water Quality Analyst Training, WaterTrax Training

Program Support

Establishing lab contracts (Chemical and Bacterial)

Maintaining contract for WaterTrax database

Educational Material/Guidelines

• Water Advisory Toolkit for First Nations

• Protecting the Water in Your Pipes

• Procedure for Addressing Drinking Water Advisories in First Nations Communities South of 60o

• Procedure Manual for Safe Drinking Water in First Nations Communities South of 60o

Direct Funding

• Community Funding – CAs

• AWWAO Funding - Yearly operational funding and symposium funding every two years

Thank you

Shaun Mackie

A/Regional Environmental Health Manager

Brantford, ON

519-751-6447

Shaun.Mackie@hc-sc.gc.ca