Questions about water quality at Liard First Nation

Members of Liard First Nation near Watson Lake, Yukon, say they don't trust their drinking water.

Some homes at the First Nation are on wells, others have water delivered from the First Nation's treatment facility.

Frank Mercier won't drink water from his tap, instead, he gets his water from a nearby natural water source.

He believes groundwater around Watson Lake is tainted with oil products from machinery used during the construction of the Alaska Highway in the Second World War.

"I'm very concerned about the water consumption and the purity of it," Mercier says. "Watson Lake has basically been... a great big rust pile."

The Yukon Research Centre is currently working with the First Nation to examine the quality of drinking water in Liard First Nation territory.

Two research centre staff members are surveying the community until Sunday about their values, concerns and practices related to drinking water. They're talking to people who draw well water, as well as those who get their water delivered. They've already completed well water testing and ground and surface water mapping.

Yukon College says the study will help the First Nation prioritize upgrades to infrastructure and help guide water management planning. They plan to share the results with the community in June.