State of emergency in Fort Severn due to equipment malfunction at water treatment plant – CBC
Officials say community is expected to be on boil water advisory until spring
Mar 13, 2020
Fort Severn First Nation, in northwestern Ontario, has been in a state of emergency since March 2, 2020 due an equipment malfunction at their local water treatment plant.
Barry Strachan, water and wastewater manager for the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Tribal Council, said the problem occurred when water flow from a reservoir to the treatment plant was halted because of frozen lines.
“This had a ripple effect,” he said. “The level of stored water in the water treatment plant depleted until there was no water to be distributed anywhere in the community.”
Strachan said emergency measures were put in place and the community started hauling water directly from the Severn River and dumping it into their clean water reservoir untreated.
