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Canada  

Reserve gets clean water

Plans are underway to get a Saskatchewan First Nation clean water after more than five years under a drinking water advisory, and to meet a pledge to end such advisories on all reserves.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett announced $9.2 million to replace the water treatment system on the White Bear First Nation, southeast of Regina.

"I think everyone here will acknowledge it's been a long time coming and for far too long people in your community have not had access to potable water on reserve," Bennett said Tuesday in Regina, where the Assembly of First Nations was holding its annual meeting.

"You should still have the same right as those of us in downtown Toronto to be able to turn on the tap and drink the water and bathe your babies safely — things that most Canadians take totally for granted."

More than 800 residents on the reserve southeast of Regina haven't been able to drink their water since 2011.

The project is expected to be complete by December 2018.

Health Canada says that as of May 31, there were 97 drinking water advisories that had been in place for more than a year. However, Health Canada counts all on-reserve drinking water advisories regardless of who owns, operates and funds the system.



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