State of emergency ends in Puvirnituq, Que., as water flows again

Temporary water pipeline bypass is an ‘interim’ solution; permanent repairs to be done in summer

A state of emergency declared in Puvirnituq, Que., three weeks ago amid a severe water shortage is now over, officials in Nunavik say.

But the chair of the Kativik Regional Government says the crisis has shown “that inexplicable living conditions still exist in this country,” and that the region needs more resilient water systems.

The emergency was declared in May amid a worsening water shortage in Puvrinituq, a community of about 2,100 people. The problem actually began weeks earlier, in mid-March, after a water pipeline that connects the pump station to the treatment plant froze.

Severe weather conditions also made it difficult for trucks to collect water and deliver it to homes. The Quebec government ended up air-lifting 145,000 litres of bottled water to the community.

The prolonged water shortage caused problems for the local hospital, which ran out of water at times and had to fly some patients south for care. Nunavik’s chief public health officer also warned that illnesses like gastroenteritis (stomach flu) could spread rapidly as the water shortage impacted access to sanitation, and officials last month ended the school year early.

In a news release on Friday, town officials said things have improved in the last couple of weeks after a temporary water pipeline bypass was installed with help from the Kativik Regional Government (KRG), restoring the flow of raw water to the treatment plant.

“This is a stabilizing, interim solution until more permanent repairs can be completed throughout the summer,” the release states.

KRG officials say it’s not the first time Puvirnituq has dealt with water distribution problems, and they blame “chronic underfunding of resilient water supply infrastructure” that can endure Nunavik’s harsh winter weather.

Puvirntuq mayor Lucy Qalingo said in a statement that she’s relieved that things have stabilized and that “the worst of the water crisis has passed” in her community.

“There remain steep obstacles to ensuring that Puvirniturmiut can rely on the current system when they need it most,” she said.

KRG chairperson Hilda Snowball also issued a statement, reassuring the community that the KRG is committed to addressing water infrastructure issues “by any and all means.”

“We are more determined than ever to make governments accountable for providing a resilient water system comparable to what people outside of Nunavik take for granted,” she said.

Related stories from around the North: 

Canada: Search is on for new water source in Umiujaq, Que., as local spring dries up, CBC News