Indigenous Water Partnership

Many Indigenous communities in Canada have limited access to clean drinking water and effective sanitation. Historical neglect, geographic isolation, and systemic inequities have led to health crises and diminished quality of life. The traditional design-build model that has been imported from the municipal realm is often misaligned with the Indigenous community context. Operation and maintenance of often over-designed systems is difficult if not impossible at times, especially in small and remote communities. A community may lack technical capacity, and/or operate in a style that is different from a municipality. As a result, the equipment languishes and eventually does not serve its original purpose. Indigenous communities have many more responsibilities and less support from government authorities than municipalities. As well as being responsible for traditional services, they must also provide community-wide services related to health, wildlife conservation, urban planning, and sometimes even public safety. These challenges are compounded by the social context of communities, language barriers, and education gaps. The Indigenous Water Partnership (IWP) provides a single point of contact for First Nations and Inuit communities whose leadership and community are ready to implement robust and appropriate water-treatment-related infrastructure, and are not satisfied with the service they are currently receiving. Our approach offers an alternative to the rigidly defined role of consulting engineers, combining technical excellence, comprehensive coaching/communication, and project management mentoring, adapted to the cultural and technical reality of the client community. We are women-led, with a co-directorship model that combines Indigenous and Ally Leadership.