Progress Report
August 2024 – Water Treatment Plant Tour
October 2023 – Hiawatha First Nation Celebrates New Water Treatment System
Read the article here
February 2023 – Timeline
August 2020 – Opportunity For Skilled Trades
Project Update:
The Topographical Survey and Geotechnical Investigation work is now complete and the project is moving forward to final design and construction of the Point of Entry systems, which homeowners registered in the program will be receiving. Wells will be cleaned and those requiring new pumps and controllers for the systems will be installed. This will be followed by the actual construction of outside shelters to house the systems, as well as the procurement and installation of the water purification systems.
A public tender for this work will be issued in August, in order to secure a General Contractor to oversee the various aspects of the project. As federal funding is involved, the tender must be posted publicly. However, if you are a citizen of Hiawatha First Nation with a business or certification in any of the following disciplines and are interested in learning more about participating in the project please contact John Tourangeau, with your contact information by August 15th. A site meeting will be held at which time you will be able to learn more about the tendering process:
- ● General Contracting
- ● Licensed Electrician/Electrical Contractor
- ● Excavation/Trenching & Back-fill
- ● Rough Carpentry
- ● Post Frame Building Systems
- ● Licensed Plumber – Service piping and values
- ● Supply and Installation of Water treatment equipment
- ● Suppliers of Operations and Maintenance Tools
June 2020 – Important Community Update
Project Update: Water Treatment Plant & Main Water Distribution Line
Homes & Facilities along the following roads who expressed an interest in participating in the above project, will be connected to a main water line, piped distribution system:
- – Hiawatha Line
- – Paudash Street East, out to Lakeshore
- – Paudash Street up to Sopers Lane.
In order to move forward with this work, two separate due diligence investigations will be taking place beginning the week of June 22, 2020: a topographic survey and a geotechnical investigation.
Topographic Survey:
A topographic survey will be conducted along the aforementioned roads:
The work will be primarily conducted in the road, on road shoulders and within roadside ditches. Surveyors will require access to the properties of homeowners who will be connected to the distribution line. Surveyors will need to:
- – Mark edges of driveways
- – Drinking water well locations
- – House corners
All contractors entering the Community have been asked to provide a plan in which they outline the health and safety and social distancing measures they are undertaking.
Geotechnical Investigation:
A geotechnical survey will also be conducted along the aforementioned roads: During this time citizens may see reduced lanes along arterial roads in the Community and pylons demarcating work areas where contractors will be. Design Consultant (Arcadis) proposes to drill boreholes at approximately 150 m (500 foot) intervals along the proposed roads beneath which the new water main will be installed. A total of 27 boreholes will be installed. The drilling work is anticipated to occur over the course of a week. Outside contractors will be entering the Community the following week to conduct groundwater tests in monitoring wells installed during the investigation.
We thank everyone in advance for their time and patience while the Community conducts these works to inform the design of the future watermain.
August 2019 – As many residents are aware, ARCADIS Design and Consultancy were here in the community during the month of June conducting water quality assessments for any home owner who had provided an “expression of interest” to participate in the project. As of June 27th, they had successfully sampled and tested 58 homes, as well as all of Hiawatha First Nation’s businesses and operational facilities.
The assessment included: a resident questionnaire, a combination of water quality and quantity testing, a well and septic inspection as well as an examination of any existing Point of Entry (POE) water treatment equipment currently being used.
They are currently conducting an analysis on all of their findings and will begin the process of preparing conceptual designs to address water quality and quantity needs. These designs will combine elements of decentralized drinking water systems as well as upgrades to POE equipment, with the longer term goal of enabling Hiawatha to tie new infrastructure into a centralized drinking water system that could serve the entire community.
Once the designs are prepared and costed, Council will then be better equipped to gauge what the most effective solution for the community will be. The intent is to have the design with the lowest life-cycle costs and the design that services the most citizens with reliable, clean drinking water in the future.
We would like that thank all home owners who participated in the project for their ongoing interest, cooperation and the wonderfully warm welcome that we received while visiting your homes and properties.
We will keep you updated as the project progresses and provide the follow-up on each of your particular needs in addressing water quality issues.
Hiawatha First Nation Kinibeaminan Water Assessment 2014-03-06