About 400 remain in Kashechewan as water and sewage failures force evacuations
Failures at Kashechewan’s water and sewage systems have left most residents evacuated. About 400 people remain while crews test water and repair infrastructure.
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By Torontoer Staff
A water treatment pump failure and related sewage backup have forced most residents of Kashechewan First Nation to leave their homes. Community leaders declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4 after sewage entered homes and contaminated the drinking water supply.
Kashechewan’s executive director, Tyson Wesley, said about 400 people will remain in the 2,200-member community by Sunday, with the rest evacuated to centres including Niagara Falls, Timmins, Kapuskasing and Kingston. Indigenous Services Canada said it prioritised evacuating 500 vulnerable residents and has contracted a water and wastewater management company to address the crisis.
What went wrong
Officials say the issue began with a pump failure in December that allowed sewage to back up into the water treatment plant. That contamination interrupted the filtration process and led officials to shut off the community water supply because of immediate public health and safety risks.
Wesley described the situation as a sewage flood into the only clinic in the community, forcing the clinic to close and a temporary clinic to be set up for evacuees and residents who remain. Bottled water has been distributed for drinking, cooking and basic hygiene while tests and repairs are under way.
I think four planes are flying out today, and we’ve been getting five to six planes a day. We had issues with the sewage infrastructure and the sewage packed into the water treatment, which kind of entered the water filtration process and we had to shut off the water supply in the community.
Tyson Wesley, executive director, Kashechewan First Nation
Health impacts and testing
Local health officials reported a spike in gastrointestinal illnesses in recent weeks. Eight community members tested positive for cryptosporidium, a parasite that can cause severe diarrhoeal illness, and additional testing of stool samples and water is ongoing to determine the extent and source of contamination.
We did have a high number of people getting gastro issues in the community and ... we had asked public health officials to increase or, provide more testing to see what’s happening. Stool samples came back and I think eight people might have contracted cryptosporidium.
Tyson Wesley
Public health teams are conducting targeted tests at the water treatment plant and in community supply lines. Results expected next week should clarify whether the plant or another point in the system is the primary source of the parasite and other contaminants.
Evacuations, supports and daily life
Evacuees have reported relief at regaining access to tap water in host communities. Wesley said being able to bathe children and use running water again was a major relief for families who had been limiting water use and relying on bottled water for daily needs.
- Evacuation destinations include Niagara Falls, Timmins, Kapuskasing and Kingston.
- Indigenous Services Canada prioritised evacuation of 500 vulnerable residents.
- A water and wastewater specialist firm is engaged to repair infrastructure.
- Bottled water deliveries continue for those who remain in Kashechewan.
Those who remain are depending on bottled water for drinking, cooking and showering while repairs continue. The temporary clinic is handling health needs, but community leaders say a full cleanup and repair of the clinic and water plant are required before life can return to normal.
Longer-term concerns
Kashechewan has a history of evacuations related to flooding, particularly in spring when ice break-up can send river ice into the bay. Wesley pointed to the community’s location on a flood plain as a persistent vulnerability and said residents have been evacuated repeatedly since 2005.
Leaders and residents are calling for durable infrastructure fixes and clearer plans to protect source water. Federal and provincial governments have faced criticism in other recent northern water crises for short-term responses that leave communities exposed to repeated emergencies.
Authorities say repairs and more detailed testing will inform a timeline for residents to return home. For now, the focus remains on completing water testing, restoring safe drinking water and repairing the clinic and treatment plant.
Wesley said the community expects more test results soon and hopes to have clearer answers by next week, while evacuation flights continue and support services remain in place for those displaced.
The evacuation and ongoing health investigation underscore long-standing infrastructure challenges in remote First Nations communities and the need for sustainable solutions to prevent future public health emergencies.
Kashechewanwater crisisIndigenousevacuationpublic health
