Of those advisories, nearly half (46 per cent) are in places where water treatment systems are equipped with infrastructure that can produce clean water.
Water Movement, which aims to end drinking water advisories by connecting and supporting water and wastewater treatment operators, says recognizing local water operators can help.
Rod Badger, who previously worked as a water operator in his home community of Sucker Creek First Nation in Alberta, says many people don’t understand the role of water operators or how vital they are to their communities.
A water operator runs water treatment and distribution systems that allow communities access to safe water for drinking and washing purposes, according to Badger.
He first took up the job around 2004 when his community needed someone in the role quickly.
“I was working in the carpentry department of the nation and then they came and asked if anyone wanted to go work at the water plant and if they have a high school diploma. And I said ‘I do,'” he said.
When he was recruited, he said, the community had upgraded its system and he was the only person working directly with it.
Even with a good system and a relatively small population — Sucker Creek’s current population is just above 3,000 — Badger says running a treatment plant is never a one-person job.
“Even if it’s a simple system, you don’t want to invest all of everything into one person,” Badger said.
That one person could suddenly need to leave their work.
“I’ve witnessed things happening like that and the community’s kind of left high and dry without an operator,” he said.
“And then that’s when emergency hits and then things go wrong and it’s a catastrophe.”
