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The clean water is thanks in part to new infrastructure and a new water source, won after three decades of fighting for access to clean drinking water, Charles says. Tap water is now sourced from Metro Vancouver and travels through 12 kilometres of new pipes and three pump stations to reach the community’s 31 homes and six administrative buildings. The struggle for water started in 1991 when the community’s water distribution system aged out and needed to be replaced, Charles says. In the ’90s the nation purchased water from the privately owned White Rock Utilities. The first drinking water advisory was issued in 1996. In October 2005, the nation was placed on a permanent boil water advisory when its water found E. coli and total coliforms, which Canada measures to test if water is drinkable, exceeded allowable levels. ....
VANCOUVER The Semiahmoo First Nation says it’s one step closer to clean drinking water. The Semiahmoo reserve, located in South Surrey, and has been under a boil water advisory since 2005, says band manager Joanne Charles. On Friday, the nation connected its main water pipe to Surrey’s, and held a ceremony to celebrate the event. “For some of our family members, they ve grown up with nothing except for water advisories so for them it will be different because they do not know anything except for boil-water (advisories),” she said in a phone interview with CTV News Vancouver. Between 1996 and 2005, the reserve was on and off boil water advisories, Charles said, which means there are members in their 20s who still don’t know what it’s like to have clean drinking water come from the taps. ....