Three Northern Manitoba communities will have an easier time getting drinking water samples analyzed thanks to the provincial government establishing a bacteriological testing site in Thompson.
The pilot project announced Feb. 17 by Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Alan Lagimodiere and Environment Minister Jeff Wharton will mean that the communities of Thicket Portage, Pikwitonei and Nelson House will no longer have to send water samples to Winnipeg for testing. The province is spending $30,000 for a TECTA machine based in Thompson that will analyze the water samples and automatically report results directly to the Office of Drinking Water, minimizing the chance of errors that can occur if samples don’t remain within temperature guidelines during transport.
“I am very pleased that this project will remove barriers for these communities and will contribute to our government’s vision of health and well-being of all Manitobans,” said Lagimodiere.
Pikwitonei Mayor Brenda Flett said the new arrangement would be better for her community.
“It was always an issue getting water samples to Winnipeg,” she said. “Samples would get lost or would be no good when they arrived. Having the testing location closer will allow us to get results faster with easier delivery.”
The testing facility is part of a collaboration between Manitoba Environment and Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations to help northern communities comply with bacterial sampling requirements and reduce the number of boil water advisories.
“There are significant challenges for some remote northern communities to get water quality samples from the community to an accredited laboratory in Winnipeg,” said Wharton. “This testing site will help reduce delays and uncertainties associated with shipping water samples from the north, and helps communities improve compliance with water quality testing requirements and confirm the ongoing safety of their water supplies.”
The project may be expanded to include other remote communities in the future, the province says.
