Public Notice

Dokis First Nation Water Treatment Plant – Public Comments Invited

January 18, 2024 – Idigenous Services Canada must determine whether the proposed Dokis First Nation Water Treatment Plant, located in Dokis Frist Nation, southwest of North Bay, Ontario, is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this determination, Indigenous Services Canada is/are inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.

Written comments must be submitted by February 18, 2024 to:

Christine Bolle
15 Rue Eddy - 6th Floor, Gatineau, QC
(416) 807-0489
christine.bolle@sac-isc.gc.ca

 

The Proposed Project

The Dokis First Nation is located along the French River approximately 140 km southeast of Sudbury and 16 km southwest of Lake Nipissing. The community is accessed via a 25-km long gravel road from Highway 64 just east of the Town of Noelville. There is direct vehicle access to the community via Provincial Highway No. 64 to the Dokis Road.

 

The community is currently supplied with potable water via a water treatment plant (WTP), which was constructed in 1992. The plant treats water from two water supply wells which are inadequate to meet the existing and 20-year needs of the Dokis First Nation and are currently considered GUDI wells. Moreover, many of the WTP components are near the end of their anticipated service life and the system does not have the capacity to meet future needs.

 

Three new groundwater wells were recently established in an undeveloped area of the community northwest of Loop Street. In the hydrogeological study completed in 2019, it was confirmed that two of the newly developed production wells have sufficient yield to meet the 20-year design capacity. The completed hydrogeological report also confirmed that a back-up well meets the yield requirements for a backup well. The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) requires the new wells to undergo a monitoring program consisting of regular sampling and testing to confirm the wells meet the requirements of GUDI Category 1. The wells are presumed to be GUDI Category 1 but are considered to be GUDI Category 2 until the monitoring period is complete. Provisions for GUDI treatment will be considered during preliminary design and discussed with the Project Team.

 

Ultimately, through this proposed work the Dokis First Nation will be establishing a new potable water system for reliable treatment and supply of drinking water. This will provide potable water to existing serviced lots and allow for future growth in the community.