WINNIPEG - A Manitoba community an hour west of Brandon finally has a source of safe drinking water after being under a boil water advisory for years.
Canupawakpa Dakota Nation has a new water service after its Chief and Council redirected existing funding to build a reverse osmosis water purification facility centre in their community. Access to the water is free of charge, but the facility is closed between 8 pm and 8 am. The First Nation’s health director says she’s glad members no longer need to travel to get clean, safe drinking water.
Existing wells on the reserve have been contaminated by overland flooding, and the community has used cisterns for washing, but the water wasn’t safe to drink. Until now, residents without a vehicle or the money to buy water from other communities faced health risks from drinking from the local source.
Leaders at Canupawakpa say they hope every First Nation will be able to install infrastructure for pure drinking water and sewage one day.
The name Chanupa Wakpa means, “a pipe was found along the river”.
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