Neskantaga First Nation community members return home to boil water advisory

Tim Brody - Editor

Neskantaga First Nation community members are home for the holidays.
The repatriation of the community’s members began on Dec. 17, with the last evacuees returning home on Dec. 20.
In a Dec. 17 letter from the Office of the Chief and Council signed by Neskantaga First Nation Chief Chris Moonias, Chief Moonias shared, “As the water has begun to flow and the 14-day run test has come to completion, we have received the final results of the testing and we have the all clear. Although the water treatment plant is not complete, and we will be returning to a boil water advisory, the water is running and it’s cleaner than it was before.”
Chief Moonias further communicated, “Throughout this crisis we have clearly communicated our demands for particular needs and priorities to be met by Indigenous Services Canada. Although the road was rocky at the outset of this water crisis, we recognize the cooperation and support we have received from Minister (Marc) Miller’s office. Although there remains much work ahead of us it is with thanks that we thank Minister Miller for committing to support the community’s top priorities and needs. We look forward to an ongoing collaborative working relationship.”
Members of Neskantaga First Nation were forced to leave their community in October following a complete shutdown of the community’s water system due to a contaminant. Neskantaga has not had safe drinking water since 1995 – the longest running boil water advisory in Canada.
Community members were displaced from their community for approximately 60 days.