A southwestern Manitoba First Nation is using $12 million in federal funding to ensure on-reserve members have access to potable water for generations to come. Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Marc Miller was in Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, located 260 kilometres west of Winnipeg, Tuesday announcing $12 million in federal funding to help build water and wastewater system upgrades.

Experts say there are contamination risks with the transport of water as well. “You could have contamination with the hose at the treatment plant, if it’s not properly guarded and disinfected. You could have contamination because the truck is dirty,” said Zagozewski. According to the 2018 First Nations Regional Health Survey, people were less likely to consider their water safe for drinking if it was trucked in. The survey, conducted by the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) and its regional partners, is the only First Nations-governed national health survey of First Nations reserve and Northern communities.