Iqaluit’s water is safe to drink

This letter is written in response to the article “Iqaluit’s Bootleg Water Operation,” which appeared in your paper on September 17, 2004. The article contains several comments that we feel are incorrect and/or misleading to the public, and which we wish to correct.

The article implies that the City operating without a water license is their own doing. The reporter later explains that the previous license was not signed by the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, and that one of the delays in the process for the City obtaining a new license was an ongoing court case between INAC and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. This of course is reported in the article, but not until after it is implied that the City is in the wrong.

The article also reports that the City was “facing resistance to getting a license,” and says that, “Every government agency, plus one concerned citizen, asked the water board to delay giving Iqaluit a water license,” and that, “Federal officials with those departments lobbied the water board to temporarily withhold a water license from Iqaluit.”

These are all incorrect and misleading statements.

The Nunavut Water Board hearing held on September 2 and 3 of 2004 were preliminary technical hearings to assist the City in their water license application submission.

The purpose of the preliminary hearings was to allow the City an opportunity to discuss the license with regulators prior to formal public hearings and the subsequent issuing of a license. Although we had every right to, the City did not object to any public who may have been in attendance.

A public hearing is currently scheduled for October of 2004 but will likely be delayed.

At no time during the two days did any government agency or official asked for a delay in issuing a license, or ask for the license to be withheld. The meeting was part of the water license application process that is continuing. The regulator agencies did recommend delaying the public hearing for the water license to allow the City adequate time to respond to some of the questions and comments from the technical session.

The City has been operating without a water license for the past three years as the Indian and Northern Affairs minister would not sign the water license issued by the Nunavut Water Board in 2000 due to onerous conditions which would have been imposed on the City. Conditions included in a water license are legally binding, exposing the City to potentially significant fines and jail time for staff should the conditions of the license not be met.

Contrary to the impression from the article the tone of the meeting held on September 2 and 3 was very positive, and the City received praise for their cooperative approach, and efforts to address the concerns of the regulators.

While the City did face many questions, this was the purpose of the meeting, to identify information required by the regulators prior to the public meeting. Questions posed by the regulators were reasonable and for the most part expected.

The article suggests that since the City does not have a water license we should not be treating and distributing water, collecting and treating sewage, and collecting and disposing of the City’s garbage. The City must continue to provide essential services to its residences, and does so in a safe and responsible manner.

The article states that “Iqaluit also failed in their application to prove that the city’s drinking water is safe.” To suggest to your readership that their drinking water is unsafe without comment from the City is irresponsible.

The City tests water from eleven sites weekly to confirm the absence of bacteria and to confirm adequate chlorine levels are present. In addition, the Department of Health performs monthly testing of the City’s water. The results of both the City and Department of Health testing have not raised any significant concerns with respect to the quality of the drinking water in the past three years.

Boiled water advisories have been issued several times in the past year due to water line breaks. These were not included in the water license application as none of these had been issued prior to submission of the water license application. This was explained to the regulators satisfaction at the meeting. It is important to note that there is a difference between an advisory, which is of a precautionary nature, and a boiled water order, which is issued by the Department of Health. To my knowledge there have not been any boil water orders issued by the Department of Health over the past three years in Iqaluit.

The City continues to have a good working relationship with INAC, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans and the various departments of the Government of Nunavut. We anticipate this relationship will continue through the water license review process and beyond.

Finally, it is difficult for the City to understand how Mr. Younger-Lewis can accurately report on the tone of a meeting that he did not attend.

Brad L. Sokach, Director of Engineering
City of Iqaluit