Five long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted in Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation thanks to a newly built connection to a water treatment plant.
On Monday Bay of Quinte Chief R. Donald Maracle and Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services announced the good news. The advisories had been in effect since 2008 on five water systems in the community. They were lifted after the First Nation extended its water distribution system, connected the buildings to the system and decommissioned the existing systems.
“The completed Phase III $19.5 million Waterline Project provides support for our residents to have full access to a dependable and safe drinking water supply,” said Maracle. “Improving access ensures the health, safety, security and economic well-being of our community, which is so vital to our residents. We are extremely pleased on the progress made in partnership with Indigenous Services Canada and express sincere thanks to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services; the Honourable Marc Miller, former Minister of Indigenous Services; Anne Scotton, Regional Director General, Ontario Region; and the entire Indigenous Services Canada project team for their support to realize this project. We look forward to future waterline projects slated for 2023. We are grateful to our MBQ infrastructure team and all contractors who worked diligently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to successfully complete this vital project.”
The new connections to the water distribution system provide clean and reliable drinking water to approximately 280 homes, 20 semi-public buildings and 756 community members. Water flowing to these buildings through the distribution system meets all current federal and provincial drinking water requirements.
One boil water advisory will continue for the Public Works Garage, which will be resolved through future water distribution phasing under Infrastructure Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.
The First Nation and Indigenous Services Canada have invested $58 million since 2014 to improve access to clean drinking water in the community, including the construction of a new water treatment plant, a water tower and extensions to the community’s water distribution system.