Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

INAC contracted Northern Waterworks, Inc. to perform annual inspections of water and wastewater systems in First Nations. The annual inspections were performed on all of the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne water and wastewater systems on March 2-3, 2016. The inspector's observations were recorded in the report and submitted to INAC. INAC calculated the risk scores based on the report. The scores are demonstrated in the table below.

The risk scores fall into three categories. High risk score is above 7, medium risk score is greater than 4 and less than or equal to 7, and low risk score is less than or equal to 4.

The St. Regis Water Treatment Plant and the Cornwall Island Water Treatment Plant both received low calculated risk scores from INAC. Also the St. Regis, Tsi Snaihne, Block 97, and Chapman Rd wastewater treatment systems received low calculated risk scores from INAC. The AMS and Arena wastewater systems received medium calculated risk scores from INAC.

Although the risk score, 2.7, was low for the Tsi Snaihne wastewater system, the inspector recorded comments on the report. These comments were that the effluent risk is high and the system capacity is insufficient. These comments most likely refer to the fact that the average daily flow now exceeds the design average daily flow. This often leads to exceedances in the effluent quality.

In 2015, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Water & Wastewater program received funding from INAC to repair the treatment unit of the Tsi Snaihne wastewater system. However this system was designed and built in 1990/91 and treats wastewater flows that exceed the flows that it was designed for. Therefore the MCA W&WW program considers the repair a temporary solution and feels the treatment system is a high risk system.

A Tsi Snaihne wastewater system upgrade has been designed to account for the increased number of housing units that are connected to the system. Also the upgrade design allows for growth of housing units connected to the system. INAC and the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change are presently reviewing the design.

The inspector also commented on the Chapman Rd wastewater system even though the risk score, 3.45, was low. He stated that there were an insufficient number of samples. It is possible that the operators can obtain more samples on days with substantial precipitation.

The AMS wastewater system received a risk score of 5.3 because the total phosphorus and total coliform levels were high. The total phosphorus average was 1.96 mg/L. The guideline limit for total phosphorus is 1.0 mg/L. However it is not a required parameter of WSER, the Environment Canada federal regulation. The average total coliform was 18,000 TCU. There was one very high sample of 72,000 TCU which was possibly due to contamination. Total coliform is also not a requirement of WSER.

The ammonia level and the pH level in the Arena wastewater system are both in exceedance of the recommended level because the system runs intermittently during events at the Arena. The wastewater that stands in the effluent discharge tank becomes septic.

The MCA W&WW program is currently applying for funding from sources such as INAC and the Ontario Clean Water and Wastewater Fund 2016-2017 to improve the AMS and Arena wastewater systems.

If you have question or concerns related to MCA's water/wastewater systems, the MCA W&WW program office is located in the Cornwall Island West Water Treatment Plant, 17 Island Rd, Cornwall Island. The phone number is (613) 933-4924 and the office hours are 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday. After hours you can call the program pager, (518) 404-2252. Or, in an emergency you can call the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Central Dispatch at (613) 575-2340.