SASKATOON – The Council of Canadians has released a new report that shows Saskatchewan has the second highest number of drinking water advisories in the country, compared to other provinces and territories. The report revealed a large number of communities, including First Nations reserves, currently have drinking water advisories.
Some have been in place since 2002.
In total, 294 communities advisories are in effect, of which 24 are in First Nations communities. According to the Council of Canadians, there is no national standard for water quality reporting, and that makes it difficult to see exactly how many people are affected.
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The group is calling the situation in Saskatchewan and rest of the country a drinking water crisis.
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“One major finding was the lack of information and the lack of consistency, “said Emma Lui, water campaigner for the Council of Canadians.
Watch below: A Global News 16×9 investigation reveals on ongoing problem of unsafe drinking water in First Nations communities across the country
Among the reasons for unsafe water are inadequate disinfection and equipment failure. The group also points to mining as a significant source of water pollution in the province.
The Council of Canadians is now calling on the new Liberal government as well as the provinces to address the situation and set a national standard for water quality reporting.
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