A state of emergency over a community water crisis in Chisasibi was lifted after potable water was restored June 6. Tests confirmed that water was safe for consumption, although the reservoir was not yet at full capacity.
The emergency was declared when a lightning strike damaged the water treatment plant on June 3. Workers saw a flash of light, then smoke coming from control panels. Chief Daisy House knew something was wrong when she saw Barry Bearskin, the community’s director general of operations, after he went for coffee that morning.
“I’d never seen his face look so down,” Chief House recalled. “There were so many unknowns. We had just finished our plant in the fall and were still using the old one. At 11:35am, we declared a state of emergency because we wanted to make sure we had potable water, that was the number one thing.”
Chisasibi leaders thanked the dedicated technical crews, coordinators behind the scenes and multiple organizations providing timely support to restore essential water supplies.
“We witnessed your hard work around the clock, often under challenging conditions, and we are truly grateful for your efforts,” shared the Cree Nation of Chisasibi. “Situations like this highlight how vital it is to have a team like ours, ready to respond when our community needs it most.”
Chisasibi was already suffering a water shortage due to abnormally low levels in La Grande River. A boil-water advisory was issued June 2, before a complete system shutdown came later that day. Hydro-Québec had been contacted to release more water from upstream dams.
La Grande is the second longest river in the province, flowing about 900 km to James Bay, extensively developed by Hydro-Québec. Among the eight dams in Chisasibi territory, the LG-1 generating station is about 30 minutes from the community and the LG-2 about an hour upstream.
With sediment and organic matter clogging the community’s water intake, CNG engineers and other water experts worked to install floating pumps to bypass the issue. Unfortunately, a fuse on one of the pumps wasn’t working and another cable was too short, so missing parts had to be ordered.
Facing critically low water levels in the community reservoir, the supply was briefly returned intermittently before being closed again to conserve remaining resources. Air Creebec, the Cree Construction and Development Company and food wholesalers helped deliver bottled water beginning June 3.
Residents were urged to limit non-essential usage while tubs of river water were made available on the shoreline for flushing toilets. All schools and daycare centres were closed until further notice.
“It was like one thing after another, but we still had high hopes,” explained Chief House. “Everybody was so understanding, patient and cooperative. We know how to live without running water at our camps already. There are a lot of overcrowded homes, and we didn’t want to overburden the healthcare system.”
As hemodialysis treatment is impossible without water, patients were flown to Montreal. The Chisasibi dialysis team worked with the Montreal General Hospital so patients could receive treatment without delay. Water samples had to be sent to Quebec’s public health labs for analysis before patients could return, which was expected around June 18.
Community members were regularly updated about the evolving situation through radio announcements, social media posts and the Chisasibi app, which filters messages to various groups. Chief House said, “I think that reassured people that the communication was there.”
By June 6, the water station crew had removed filters to clear river debris. Sampling of the restored supply was conducted the following day before the state of emergency was lifted. Water treatment technicians worked tirelessly throughout the crisis – one worked 29 hours straight.
“Environmental factors forced us to intervene to fix the problems temporarily,” said Kyle Sam. “A mid-term solution will be implemented in coming weeks, the next part of the upgrade. Things are heading in the right direction. In a sense, I’m trying to drive a Ferrari without full throttle – engine is complete but need the tires.”
Praising the efforts of Bearskin and CNG water quality coordinator Laurence Truong, Sam said there is high demand for water technicians, especially with many in Eeyou Istchee nearing retirement. While transitioning to the new treatment plant, Sam said they had used the same intake pit in the old building.
“Now they have to install the chamber grid and a new water pit for the new treatment plant,” said Chief House. “That’s another $5 or $10 million for the medium-term upgrades they’ll finish this fall. But we need to resolve the long-term issues for our growing community.”
While some suggest a pipeline or wave break, resident Roger Orr favours a water tower. Capable of storing over a million gallons of drinking water, these towers use gravity-driven hydrostatic pressure to guarantee a stable supply. Orr joked that Chisasibi’s tower could say “Skoden”, like one was once spray-painted in Timmins.
Although the kitchen at Orr’s Retro Daze Café needs lots of water, he said his cantine is crisis-proof. He’s always used spring water for coffee and tea because of the community’s water uncertainty over the last 20 years, noting the river’s levels have dropped substantially.
Many expressed relief that there were no fires during the water emergency, though the community’s dump had burned the week before and a health board unit burned the following week. Recalling the panic that spread in 2018 after a false rumour that a nearby dam had broken, Orr asserted that the community needs a backup solution for emergencies.
“We need sirens, with only a few individuals allowed to sound the alarm if something’s going on up the river,” said Orr. “Imagine if it was real. When a crisis like this happens, it’s an opportunity to improve.”