Water Quality Cbwm Annual 2015

2014 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

3/31/2015 Community Based Water Monitor Program An Annual Report to inform the Sipeknekatik Band members as to

the quality of drinking water provided by their water system and is

submitted to Health Canada to provide information about the

Community-based Water Sampling and training during the fiscal

year ending March 31, 2015.

P a g e 2 | 7

2014 2015 ANNUAL REPORT OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT

COMMUNITY-BASED WATER MONITORS The Sipeknekatik Bands Operations & Maintenance Department employs five staff that are certified water monitors. Currently the Operations and Maintenance Departments staff include: Stephen John Knockwood, Director of Operations & Maintenance (Certifications by examination: Wastewater Collection Class I, Water Distribution Class I, Water Treatment Class II and Community-based Drinking Water Monitor); Rhonda Knockwood, Assistant Director of Operations & Maintenance (Certifications by examination: Community-based Drinking Water Monitor); Brett Googoo, Assistant Water Operator (Certifications by examination: Operator-in-Training and Community-based Drinking Water Monitor); Stephen Joel Knockwood, Assistant Water Operator (Certifications by examination: Community-based Drinking Water Monitor) and Katrina L. Paul, Garbage & Recycling Coordinator (Certifications by examination: Community-based Drinking Water Monitor).

WATER SAMPLING This past fiscal year, the staff has performed the weekly water sampling except during Christmas break and engineering work at the Water Plant. The department has achieved 96.2% sampling targets in Indian Brook. The manual data-entry log books have been completed and have been reviewed by the Environmental Health Officer monthly. This past fiscal year, a concentrated effort was directed to weekly sampling in the New Ross community and the department has achieved 71.7% of the target samples. An increase of 21.7%. The remote location of the community continues to hinder achieving higher sampling due to other priority duties, staffing schedules and sampling sites not accessible to water monitors. To date, the department has conducted 204 bacterial colilert samples and chlorine tests in Indian Brook and 152 bacterial colilert samples in New Ross with an overall sampling achievement of 84%. Although the requirement is weekly testing, daily chlorine tests are conducted at the water treatment plant in Indian Brook.

P a g e 3 | 7

Bacteriological Sampling & Goal Summary - April 2014 to March 2015

Health Canada, Atlantic Region

Karen Boyles

First Nation: SHUBENACADIE Community: Indian Brook Water System : Indian Brook PWS

Bacteriological Lab Samples

Bacteriological Colilert Samples Year Month Total

Number of Samples Analyzed

Total Number of Samples Expected

Percent Analyzed (%)

Total Number of Samples Analyzed

Total Number of Samples Expected

Percent Analyzed (%)

Indian Brook Totals: 48 48 100.0

204 212 96.2

Community: New Ross

Water System : New Ross PWS

Bacteriological Lab Samples

Bacteriological Colilert Samples Year Month Total

Number of Samples Analyzed

Total Number of Samples Expected

Percent Analyzed (%)

Total Number of Samples Analyzed

Total Number of Samples Expected

Percent Analyzed (%)

New Ross Totals: 45 48 93.8

152 212 71.7 SHUBENACADIE

Totals: 93 96 96.9

356 424 84.0

BACTERIAL ANALYSIS

P a g e 4 | 7

TRAINING The five staff members have attended and completed 1.3 Continuing Education Units at Nova Scotia Community College for Community Based Water Monitors & Water Operators Drinking Water Safety Training Safe Drinking Water: Bridging the Gap from Source to Tap. All staff gained valuable refresher information and learned the course information to the best of their ability. All staff are confident in the training received and the test results are consistent with the random sampling results obtained from the Health Canada test samples.

BOIL WATER ADVISORYS

P a g e 5 | 7

The community of Indian Brook had NO boil-water advisories during the fiscal year. The community of New Ross continues were placed on a boil-water advisory on March 13, 2015 by Health Canada. The community was advised of the order immediately until two consecutive water results were collected with satisfactory bacterial results. The boil-water advisory was lifted on March 20, 2015 after two negative tests on March 14, 2015 and March 17, 2015. It was concluded that the initial sample taken on March 12, 2015 was due to a sampling or laboratory error. The community continues to only consume water that is processed through each households individual treatment system.

QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL Approximately fifty percent of the Indian Brook communitys Quality Assurance and Quality Control were performed in conjunction with Ms. Karen Boyles, Environment Health Officer Health Canada. The department continues to appreciate the high level of professionalism, guidance and assistance received from Ms. Boyles throughout the year in regards to audits, testing, and providing inventory.

OTHER PROGRAMMING This fiscal year, the department received a one-time grant to host a community workshop to promote the Bands garbage and recycling program. The event promoted the recycling program with an information session and 25 delegates had the opportunity to construct a garden composter and rain barrel for their residence. This program has been highly successful in the establishment of community members awareness and participation in the Bands environmental practices of waste reduction and the establishment of a community garden club. The department received donations for door prizes to assist in the completion of the workshop evaluation by participants. The summary below highlights the analysis of the workshop evaluation. This special project would not have been made available without the generous support from Health Canada. Workshop Evaluation Summary:

1. Was the information provided helpful? a. Yes (100%) b. No (0%)

2. How organized was the workshop? a. Very (50%)

P a g e 6 | 7

b. Good (50%) c. Poor (0%)

3. How well did the presenter know the material and subject? a. Very (60%) b. Good (40%) c. Poor (0%)

4. What did you enjoy most about this workshop? a. Garbage & Recycling presentation (40%) b. Food (60%) c. Making rain barrel (100%) d. Making composter (30%) e. Door prizes (40%)

5. What did you like least about this workshop? a. Facilitators (presenters) b. Food c. Activities d. Location e. Time & date (60%) f. Did not answer (40%)

6. Rate on a scale of 1-5 what is most important to you? (1 not 5 very) a. Community garden.

i. 5 (60%) ii. 4 (20%) iii. 1 (10%)

b. Tours of recycling facilities. i. 5 (10%) ii. 4 (10%) iii. 3 (20%) iv. 2 (40%) v. 1 (20%)

c. Centralized recycling depot. i. 5 (40%) ii. 3 (40%) iii. 2 (10%) iv. 1 (10%)

d. More workshops. i. 5 (60%) ii. 4 (30%) iii. 2 (10%)

P a g e 7 | 7

Health Canada Water Quality Results - March 20152014-2015 CBWM Annual Report