Over 100 residents from Janvier are evacuating to Fort McMurray after a chemical mixup at the hamlet’s Water Treatment Plant.
Chemicals were accidentally transferred to the facility last week forcing the municipality to temporarily shut it down.
This left many homes in the Chipewyan Prairie First Nation without running water, while others were unaffected as they receive trucked water.
Janvier resident Dustin Nokohoo tells Mix News the community is still wondering how this happened.
“Don’t bathe in it, don’t do dishes, don’t do anything – it made it hard and we had no answers.”
Nokohoo and his family are among the group who are staying at two hotels in Fort McMurray as the situation gets dealt with.
Though the municipality is providing supplies to affected residents to allow them to stay in the community, he says he couldn’t wait for it to be resolved.
“My house is heated by a boiler so I need water pressure to have heat in my house… I have three kids, one 16-month old child, so we had to get out.”
Hygiene was also a big concern as residents couldn’t shower in their homes. Washroom facilities and a mobile shower cart have been stationed across the community in the meantime.
The RMWB is expecting the cleanup of the plant to take between 7-10 days. Testing will be done afterward, which could take another couple of days.
Meanwhile, Nokohoo added the group is looking for donations to help with basic necessities.
“We’re going to be here for a week, so everybody has to eat… there’s children so snacks, food for them to eat.”
They’re staying at the Marriot Towne Place Suites and the Clearwater Suites.
A shipment was recently picked up from the Wood Buffalo Food Bank.
