Residents of Sandy Bay First Nation are being urged to conserve water as a blockage in the community’s water treatment plant intake line has caused low reservoir levels and reduced water pressure across the area. The intake line, which sits approximately 30 feet underwater in Lake Manitoba, has become plugged, forcing the community to wait for specialized dive crews expected to arrive this week to clear the obstruction.
To help maintain the remaining supply and prevent potential damage to household infrastructure, officials are asking residents to limit their water usage immediately. Additionally, households are being advised to temporarily shut off the power to their hot water tanks to prevent them from burning out if the tanks happen to run dry. Residents are expected to turn these breakers back on once water pressure and normal supply levels are fully restored.
The Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, located on the south basin of Lake Manitoba, has been working to address long-standing infrastructure challenges. According to a 2020 federal impact assessment, the community’s existing water treatment system had not met the requirements set by Indigenous Services Canada, Health Canada, or provincial standards for surface water treatment.
While repair work is underway to address the immediate blockage, the community continues to work toward plans for a new water treatment facility, which was assessed by the federal government in 2020. This project is aimed at replacing the current system and meeting the needs of a growing population.
