Nov. 19 is World Toilet Day. Chances are good you don’t think much about toilets, unless you’ve got to go or you’re fighting with your significant other about who’s on cleaning duty.
But billions around the world don’t have that luxury, and lack of proper sanitation can lead to illness and even death.
According to the World Toilet Organization:
- Approximately 2.4 billion people lack access to a basic toilet;
- Globally, 1,000 children die every day due to diarrhea caused by poor sanitation and unsafe water;
- Improved sanitation leads to better nutrition and health, especially for woman and children.
But it’s not just India’s or South Sudan’s problem: it’s happening right here in Canada, with many First Nations communities lacking running water and the infrastructure needed to achieve proper sanitation.
“I think there are still a lot people that think that people who don’t have drinking water — that’s an issue outside of Canada,” said Emma Lui, water campaigner for the Council of Canadians, a non-profit, social-action organization.
“And they don’t really think about that, it’s an issue in Canada, and that there are many Indigenous communities that are, you know, living their day-to-day lives without running water and without proper wastewater systems.”
The conditions on some First Nations communities grappling with these issues has been getting more attention in the last few years, particularity since the National Assessment of First Nations Water and Wastewater Systems was released in 2011.
WATCH: Many First Nations communities without access to clean drinking water
An analysis of 571 First Nations’ communal water systems found 39 per cent of systems were classified as “high overall risk” while a further 34 per cent were deemed “medium overall risk”. Out of 532 wastewater systems, 14 per cent were deemed high risk and another 51 per cent medium risk.
The study found that roughly half of homes in these communities have piped systems and, according to the council, as of January 2015, there were 169 drinking water advisories (DWAs) in 126 First Nation communities.
“Canada is one of the world’s wealthiest economies. To have a segment of its population face daily sanitation issues is unacceptable,” an Assembly of First Nations (AFN) spokesperson said in an email to Global News, adding that some people living in affected communities “have never had the luxury of drinking from the tap or able to flush waste down a toilet bowl.”
The cost pegged to get the systems up to standard with the rest of Canadians? Over 10 years, $4.7 billion.
“Many First Nation members live in third world situations,” said the AFN.
“This has gone on for too long and it is time for Canada to bring this suffering to an end and respect the UN covenant on the human right to water and sanitation.”
The Council of Canadians is hopeful changes will be made under the Liberal government.
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“The Liberal Party has recognized the right to water and sanitation and Justin Trudeau has committed to ending boil-water advisories,” Lui said. “So we’re really hoping that along with that they’ll allocate the $4.7 billion over the next ten years that’s needed to address water and wastewater systems.”
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