REPAIRS TO WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM UNDERWAY IN MINISTIKWAN LAKE CREE NATION
Projected lift date: Spring 2026
Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan is home to approximately 950 people. The community is repairing their water treatment system and improving operations, with funding from Indigenous Services Canada.
There is 1 long-term drinking water advisory affecting 145 homes and 10 community buildings:
While the original long-term advisory was issued in 2009 and active at the time of our interview, it was lifted in 2022. A new boil water advisory on the Ministikwan Public Water System No. 161A – Mudie Lake was set in December 2024 and became long-term in December 2025.
The advisory was set due to issues with the membrane filtration system. Repairs to the filters and pumphouse are complete, and the membranes have been cleaned and tested, but challenges are ongoing. Work is underway to improve chemical dosing, use different cleaning methods for the membranes and replace them if needed, and address valve issues at the Mudie Lake booster station.
The community currently receives operational support from the Circuit Rider Training Program, which provides training and mentoring services to First Nations water operators. A Circuit Rider Trainer is helping to train local operators in the ongoing maintenance of the water treatment system to keep the community's water safe and clean.
Once repairs are complete and tests show the water is safe, the community should be able to lift the long-term drinking water advisory.
Related:
SaskWater’s First Nations Operator Training Program has been successful in training local Indigenous treatment operators with best-practice results. Along the way, the training manual and program approach became a template for similar programs adopted in Alaska, Manitoba and Alberta. The provincial programs eventually evolved into the ISC Circuit Rider Training Program, which is used across Canada to train water and wastewater treatment operators.
For more information, visit www.saskwater.com.
Circuit Rider Training Program
