Amid a water crisis in Kashechewan First Nation, households are coping with limited water supply, receiving only one case of water bottles per day. Keisha Paulmartin, a 15-year-old resident, highlighted the challenge faced by larger families sharing one case among multiple households, often leading to inadequate supply.
The community declared a state of local emergency on Jan. 4, as the water treatment and wastewater plants were in disrepair. The malfunction of pumps at the water treatment plant in early December prevented the proper treatment of drinking water, while the wastewater treatment plant faced issues with raw sewage intake.
Residents, including Sinclair Williams, expressed discontent with the situation, emphasizing the essential nature of water and the hardships imposed by the crisis. Aiming to assist vulnerable residents, evacuations to Timmins and Kapuskasing, Ontario, have been initiated, with ongoing efforts by Kashechewan’s leaders to coordinate a full evacuation of the 2,300 residents in collaboration with federal and provincial authorities.
The community’s location along the James Bay coast, without permanent roads, necessitates evacuations via air, with weather conditions impacting flight operations. Evacuations have become routine due to the annual flooding of the Albany River, prompting residents like Petersen Spence to adapt to temporary relocations and overcome challenges in maintaining educational continuity during evacuations.
As discussions continue on the evacuation plan, uncertainty looms over the duration of the crisis, causing anxiety among residents like Feather Metatawabin. Efforts to repair the water treatment plant are underway, with Northern Waterworks company deployed for repairs, although the completion timeline remains unspecified.