Clean water finally brings hope of renewal to Semiahmoo reserve
The Semiahmoo reserve nestled between White Rock and the Peace Arch border crossing is about to get clean, fresh water after living with a boil water advisory since 2005. And with it comes new hope for the growth of the community and its economy.
“For some of us, it's been a lifetime,” said Harley Chappell, chief of the Semiahmoo First Nation. The nation's on-and-off boil-water advisory began in 1996.
In 2016, White Rock voted to cut off water to the 1.3-square-kilometre First Nation and gave it 18 months to find a new source of water. They did not give a reason for the decision at the time, but there had been disagreements over a city-owned pump station on reserve lands.
The Semiahmoo band then negotiated a deal with the City of Surrey. But in order to link up with Surrey's water and sewer mains, the reserve needed to do major infrastructure upgrades.
Those included an upgrade to the main road, three kilometres of new water pipes for the mainline, three kilometres of pipes for the branch lines, six kilometres of sewer connections, three pump stations, fire suppression lines and 40 home connections.
Six of those 40 homes are now fully connected and, in the coming weeks, the water to these homes will be tested for quality and water pressure.
Chappell said the project is the result of several agencies working together toward the goal of clean water for every home. “This is happening because of the fantastic relationship we've developed with Indigenous Services Canada, their regional offices here in Vancouver and with the City of Surrey working together.”
The First Nation's servicing agreement with the City of Surrey includes fire protection, water and sewage.
“We can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Chappell.
Once the kinks are worked out, more residents are hooked up and the water is flowing safely, Chappell said community members who live off reserve will be able to come home.
“Families want to come home. We get calls on a regular basis from our members saying, when can we come home?”
The First Nation is one of the smallest in B.C., with 95 members, about half of whom live off the reserve.
The lack of potable water and crumbling septic systems contributed to the deterioration of the community over time, said Chappell, who was re-elected to his third term as chief in December.
Before the infrastructure upgrade, some homes relied on old wells, others trucked water in, and many had failing septic systems, said Chappell.
The nation has not been through the treaty process and the land remains held by the Crown.
In 2008, the federal government cancelled all cottage leases due to the boil water advisory.
The lease freeze has been a real challenge, impeding economic opportunity, said Chappell.
Many non-band on-reserve residents stayed on informal leases, but for the boil water advisory to be lifted everyone living on the reserve had to be hooked up to the new system.
The Semiahmoo received federal funding for the $10-million project, but Chappell said the funds were for band members only.
“We had to go to those non-band members and say you have to pay for those hookups,” said Chappell.
Non-band members were notified they would be required to pay up to $50,000 each for hookups to the new system. Eventually they all left. As non-band members left, abandoned homes became derelict, some were vandalized and some became the target of arsonists, said Chappell.
“When you used to drive through this community five years ago you would see dilapidated homes, once summer cottages right on the beach, that were never meant to be permanent residences,” said Chappell.
Band members left as well. “Families didn't want to live here because of the lack of services.”
Water means renewal, and the opportunity for community housing and development.
“We have demolished all those old homes, and we are working very hard to bring the community back to a clean slate,” said Chappell.
“We are in the process of community planning and consultation on remediation and cleanups, to bring the land back to a clean slate,” said Chappell.
“Ultimately we will look into economic opportunities to come our way that can bring opportunity and prosperity for our members.
“It's time to bring our community back, develop a community core, housing, community centres, a longhouse, a canoe shed, to rebuild a community and a nation.”
Chappell, who lives in Chilliwack on the Skowkale First Nation with his wife, said he hopes to move back when housing is available for his family.