“Straight from the heavens into your bucket”: domestic rainwater harvesting as a measure to improve water security in a subarctic indigenous community

• Published in: International Journal of Circumpolar Health
• Main Authors: Nicholas Mercer, Maura Hanrahan
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2017
• Subjects: Indigenous; health; water; security; subarctic; Canada; rainwater harvesting; drinking water; psychological stress; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic; Tickle; Black Tickle; Black Tickle-Domino; Circumpolar Health; International Journal of Circumpolar Health; inuit; Subarctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2017.1312223; https://doaj.org/article/6d4948c1977e4458ae119659dd18f6fb

Background: Black Tickle-Domino is an extremely water-insecure remote Inuit community in the Canadian subarctic that lacks piped-water. Drinking water consumption in the community is less than a third of the Canadian national average. Water insecurity in the community contributes to adverse health, economic, and social effects and requires urgent action. Objectives: To test the ability of domestic rainwater harvesting (DRWH) for the first time in the subarctic with the goal of improving water access and use in the community. Design: This project utilised quantitative weekly reporting of water collection and use, as well as focus group discussions. DRWH units were installed at seven water-insecure households chosen by the local government. Results were measured over a 6-week period in 2016. Results: Participants harvested 19.07 gallons of rainwater per week. General purpose water consumption increased by 17% and water retrieval efforts declined by 40.92%. Households saved $12.70 CDN per week. Participants reported perceived improvements to psychological health. Because no potable water was collected, drinking water consumption did not increase. The study identified additional water-insecurity impacts. Conclusion: DRWH cannot supply drinking water without proper treatment and filtration; however, it can be a partial remedy to water insecurity in the subarctic. DRWH is appropriately scaled, inexpensive, and participants identified several significant benefits.