Responding to the Iqaluit Water Crisis

WSP’s swift identification and resolution of the contamination sources provided significant relief to the community of Iqaluit and its 9,000 predominantly Indigenous residents.

Despite the unusual occurrence of two separate fuel contamination events, the rapid responses from both the City and WSP effectively prevented contamination levels from reaching concentrations that could pose short-term or long-term risks to human health.

This project was a testament to the seamless integration of chemistry and engineering, enabling timely solutions that met the high standards of various government stakeholders and, most importantly, the needs of the local consumers. A key innovation was the use of a spectrophotometer device, relatively new to Canada at the time and mainly used for unrelated monitoring applications. Its application in Iqaluit marked the first of its kind in the country. Since the project’s completion, the Government of Nunavut has acquired the spectrophotometer for over 20 communities to monitor hydrocarbons. As of this nomination, many of these communities have successfully installed and calibrated the equipment, with additional installations in progress.

The Iqaluit Water Crisis has garnered global recognition from water sector associations, showcasing the importance of proactive public consultation, consumer education, and effective stakeholder management. This project exemplifies innovation, community protection, and collaboration in addressing critical water safety challenges.