Ottawa may be neglecting its best bet for ending drinking-water advisories: training operators – The Globe and Mail
New research shows that water systems on First Nations reserves operated by people lacking adequate training are more likely to experience drinking-water advisories that last longer , Matthew McClearn writes
Research from the University of Guelph’s engineering school has discovered that water systems on First Nations reserves operated by people lacking adequate training are more likely to experience drinking-water advisories that last longer. This conclusion suggests the federal government may be neglecting its best option for ending advisories: supporting efforts to train operators of First Nations water systems.
The federal government has promised to eliminate all drinking-water advisories, which Health Canada recommends be issued when drinking water is deemed unsafe. They occur frequently on many reserves. Professor Ed McBean and his students gathered data on 1,526 advisories issued on 776 First Nations drinking-water systems between the beginning of 2004 and the end of 2014, and studied what troubled systems had in common.
