Boil-water advisories could be a thing of the past in Kehewin. The community has stuck the first shovels into the ground on a new water treatment plant. The event was marked with a sod-turning ceremony featuring MP Randy Boissonnault from Edmonton Centre and Kehewin Chief Brenda Vanguard.
The plant will replace an ageing treatment system that hasn’t been able to keep up to contaminants from Kehewin Lake. For a while, Kehewin was listed as the only Alberta First Nation community under a long-term boil water advisory.
Chief Vanguard says clean drinking water shouldn’t be a luxury.
“I thank the current Liberal government, for their commitment on making this day a reality. Our members have been patiently waiting for something as simple as clean water for too long. Our community has been on a boiled-water advisory for more than 11 years and the old treatment plant is no longer a viable option.”
Indigenous Services Canada says it has invested $13.9 million to support the construction of the new facility. The hope is to have the plant operational and the advisories lifted by March 2020.