The Dene Tha’ First Nation is asking all residents living in its three communities in northwest Alberta to keep their dogs secured whenever workers visit their homes, following a community notice issued on June 26, 2026.
The notice, directed at the roughly 1,800 people on the reserves, says loose dogs can create unsafe situations and may delay essential services. The request applies to water truck drivers, maintenance crews, and utility workers who regularly visit homes in Chateh, Bushe River, and Meander River.
Along with securing dogs, the notice asks residents to clean up dog waste around water storage tanks. Council says that keeping the area around cisterns clean helps protect the community’s drinking water supply, which has faced recurring challenges over the years.
Since 2012, Health Canada has issued at least five drinking water advisories for Dene Tha’ communities, with four tied to specific cisterns. One advisory lasted 20 days at a Bushe River daycare after its cistern was found “damaged or inadequately maintained.” Chief Joe Pastion has said in the past that many residents still buy bottled water for cooking and drinking because maintaining cisterns is an ongoing struggle.
The notice comes just a day after the June 2026 council elections. The timing suggests the newly elected council is moving quickly to address public health concerns and keep essential services running smoothly.
Dene Tha’ has invested in improving water infrastructure in recent years. A $2.1-million waterline connecting Bushe River to the Town of High Level’s water treatment plant was completed through Alberta’s First Nations Regional Drinking Water Tie-In Program, and a longstanding partnership with the town has brought a Friendship Agreement and joint emergency planning. Despite these upgrades, council says day-to-day work like truck deliveries still requires residents’ cooperation to go safely.
