The Atlantic First Nations Water Authority: an Indigenous water utility guided by Etuaptmumk or Two-Eyed Seeing
Megan Fuller,
Methilda Knockwood Snache,
Gail Tupper,
Ken Francis,
David Perley,
Charles Doucette,
Tuma Young,
Tiannie Paul,
James MacKinnon,
Graham Gagnon
Affiliations
Megan Fuller
Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, 1360 Barrington Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
Methilda Knockwood Snache
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, 13 Treaty Trail, Millbrook First Nation, NS B6L 1W1, Canada
Gail Tupper
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, 13 Treaty Trail, Millbrook First Nation, NS B6L 1W1, Canada
Ken Francis
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, 13 Treaty Trail, Millbrook First Nation, NS B6L 1W1, Canada
David Perley
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, 13 Treaty Trail, Millbrook First Nation, NS B6L 1W1, Canada
Charles Doucette
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, 13 Treaty Trail, Millbrook First Nation, NS B6L 1W1, Canada
Tuma Young
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, 13 Treaty Trail, Millbrook First Nation, NS B6L 1W1, Canada
Tiannie Paul
Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, 1360 Barrington Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
James MacKinnon
Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, 13 Treaty Trail, Millbrook First Nation, NS B6L 1W1, Canada
Graham Gagnon
Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, 1360 Barrington Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
The Atlantic First Nations Water Authority (AFNWA) is the first Indigenous-owned and operated water and wastewater utility in Canada, providing service to 12 First Nations (at the time of this publication), with a Board of Directors composed of Chiefs and technical and legal experts guided by an Elders Advisory Lodge. The AFNWA is forging a path of self-determination in water service provision through honouring First Nations knowledge and culture and implementing leading-edge western engineering practices through Two-Eyed Seeing. The story of the formation and development of the AFNWA offers examples and experiences that may be useful for engineering and industry specialists working to build relationships and offer services to First Nations and First Nations organizations. Through this article, Elders, AFNWA staff, and engineers and researchers from the Centre for Water Resources studies share their narratives of how Two-Eyed Seeing has manifested in the formation of the first Indigenous water utility in Canada.
