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Approximately 50% of the homes on First Nation reserves in Manitoba, Canada, receive piped water from water treatment plants (WTP). Of the remaining homes, 31% are equipped with cisterns filled by a water truck. The overall objective of this thesis research was to compare the quality of tap water in homes with piped water versus those with cisterns. The study was in collaboration with three First Nations communities in Manitoba. Each community was predominantly equipped with belowground concrete cisterns, belowground fibreglass cisterns, or aboveground polyethylene cisterns stored in insulated shelters. Free residual chlorine concentration was significantly lower in water samples from homes with cisterns than piped water. The frequency and severity of Escherichia coli and total coliform contamination were significantly greater in drinking water from belowground concrete and fibreglass cisterns than in piped water samples in each community. The contamination of belowground cisterns by coliform bacteria was greatest in late spring. Data obtained under the Access to Information Act for 2014 and 2018 showed no clear evidence of improved water quality in any of the Tribal Councils linked to the three communities. Field and laboratory chlorine disappearance studies indicated a greater contribution of concrete cistern walls than bulk water to the disappearance, hence lowering free residual chlorine concentration in belowground cisterns. Treated water from the WTP in two of the First Nations communities frequently exceeded the Health Canada guideline of 100 µg L-1 total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), as did 75% of piped water samples and 70% of cistern water samples. Although the water distribution system had no significant effect on TTHM concentration, sampling month significantly affected due to temporal changes in source water dissolved organic carbon content. Dissolved organic carbon removal before further water treatment might be an important process in effectively reducing

Half of households on First Nations reserves in the Province of Manitoba do not have access to piped water, but rather rely on cisterns or wells, or have no running water (e.g., buckets). The purpose of this research was to assess whether First Nations perceptions of water is dependent on the type of water distribution system associated with the household. From July 2017 to October 2018, household surveys were developed in collaboration with each of three First Nations in Manitoba (Community A, B and C) and participants were recruited by going door-to-door in each community. Using a total of 273 responses, the study applied a factor analysis and found that four factors explained the majority of the underlying variance among survey answers: Safety, Sufficiency, Acceptability and Human Health. Households with cisterns reported significantly more safety and sufficiency concerns compared to households with piped water. Deductive and inductive analysis of open-ended survey reponses identified how households were describing their concerns. Households with safety concerns described finding contaminants in their water (e.g., dirt) and some households expressed concerns surrounding insufficient community resources to fix the water safety problems (e.g., additional water cleaning equipment and staff are needed). Households lacking sufficient water described not being able to keep up with their basic family needs (e.g., cleaning, laundry and bathing). Descriptions of negative health concerns caused by the household’s water largely included descriptions of gastrointestional illness symptoms or skin irritations. Importantly, the research also examined whether survey participants had full access to water, as defined by the United Nation’s General Assembly Resolution 64/292, The Human Right to Drinking Water and Sanitation, A/RES/64/292 (28 July 2010). The analysis indicated that 60.8% of households were not able to access water as described in this Human Right Resolution especial