Oneida water: 'Would you want your parents to live like this?'

Luann Smith will be paying close attention to what Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu has to say on Monday about the federal government's willingness to fund a pipeline that will bring clean drinking water to Oneida Nation of the Thames.

Smith, 67, is a lifelong resident of Oneida, a community that has been under a boil water advisory since 2019.

Hajdu is scheduled to be a guest on Monday's edition ofLondon Morningand will speak with host Rebecca Zandbergen about the situation.

Poor quality of water in the community of 2,000 has left Smith with health issues. She says the water quality was a factor in her daughter choosing to leave Onedia for London.

"It makes me upset," said Smith. "Not even 20 kilometres away, somebody else is able to use their water whenever they want. Just turn the tap on, and water's right there, whereas we live our lives not having water like that."

Supply pipeline 18 km away

Oneida leaders have negotiated a water supply agreement with the Lake Huron Primary Water Supply System. It's the same entity that supplies treated Lake Huron drinking water to municipalities across much of southwestern Ontario, including north London.

The problem is the closest connection point is near Mt. Brydges, 18 kilometres away. Building a pipeline to connect the community will cost an estimated $57 million, a price that includes building the pipe to Oneida and upgrading its water distribution system.

Oneida Nation and Lake Huron supply have signed the agreement, the only missing signatory is the federal government, but that would also require the funding.

Smith says she'd like to see it happen so the next generation won't have to rely on boiled or bottled water. Prior to the boil advisory being put in place, she had health problems she says were directly related to the water problems.

They included H. pylori, a stomach bacteria that can cause ulcers andhas been linked to stomach cancer.

"I've had all kinds of stomach issues from drinking that water," she said.

The question for Hajdu?

"I would just ask: 'Would you want your parents to live like this?'" she said.

"I know it's not a nice thing to think but there's a lot of grandparents that live like this. We have to live like this because there's nothing else."

Administrators at Oneida say clean drinking water isn't the only reason they want the pipeline built.

The connection would also give the community enough pressurized water to supply fire hydrants.

A father and four childrendied in a house firein the community in 2016, a tragedy that highlighted the need for better fire protection.

In August, Hajdu said she expects Canada will be able to lift its remaining long-term drinking water advisories by 2025.