Water security in small, rural, and remote communities

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Lack of access to clean and safe drinking water has been a crisis in many small, rural, and remote (SRR) communities in Canada for decades. This crisis has exacerbated the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to the residents of SRR communities. In the proposed research, the applicant at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) will team up with researchers at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan (UBCO) and McMaster University. The overall goal is to develop an effective solution that addresses water security issues in Canadian SRR communities. The partner on the proposed research is Lheidli T'enneh First Nation (LTFN), the largest First Nations community in northern BC. LTFN is currently under "Do-Not-Consume" and "Do-Not-Use" water advisories. The proposed research will be carried out focusing on water security issues in LTFN as a case study. The overall aim can be achieved by completing a number of research objectives, including (a) the development of a smart water quality management tool for SRR communities; (b) the development of a series of Indigenous knowledge-based low-cost methods (sorbents and filters made from modified local materials) for effective water treatment; and (c) community engagement and development of a decision support tool to help SRR communities select the most suitable water supply strategy. Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) will be considered in the research and the training of highly qualified personnel (HQP). A total of five HQP (including a postdoctoral research associate as well as PhD and MSc students) will be trained. The outcomes of the proposed research are expected to effectively solve the long-term drinking water issues in LTFN. The developed tools and IK-based water treatment methods will be commercialized for wide application in other SRR communities across Canada through the network established in the research. This will not only generate considerable economic benefits to both the SRR communities and the country but also will save tremendous expenditures on public health protection, which will bring positive effects to the economic recovery of these areas from the pandemic.