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

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dc.contributor.authorMercer, Nicholas
dc.contributor.authorHanrahan, Maura
dc.date.accessioned2017-10-31T17:52:00Z
dc.date.available2017-10-31T17:52:00Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.descriptionSherpa Romeo green journal: open accessen_US
dc.description.abstractBackground: 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.en_US
dc.description.peer-reviewYesen_US
dc.identifier.citationMercer, N., & Hanrahan, M. (2017). "Straight from the heavens into your bucket": Domestic rainwater harvesting as a measure to improve water security in a subarctic indigenous community. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 76:1, 1312223. doi:10.1080/22423982.2017.1312223en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/4961
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_US
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Native American Studiesen_US
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Sciencesen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Waterlooen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Lethbridgeen_US
dc.subjectIndigenousen_US
dc.subjectHealthen_US
dc.subjectWateren_US
dc.subjectSecurityen_US
dc.subjectSubarcticen_US
dc.subjectCanadaen_US
dc.subjectRainwater harvestingen_US
dc.subjectDrinking wateren_US
dc.subjectPsychological stressen_US
dc.subjectIndigenous communitiesen_US
dc.subjectBlack Tickle-Dominoen_US
dc.subjectWater insecurityen_US
dc.subject.lcshWater security--Newfoundland and Labrador
dc.subject.lcshDrinking water--Newfoundland and Labrador
dc.subject.lcshWater harvesting--Newfoundland and Labrador
dc.subject.lcshInuit--Newfoundland and Labrador
dc.subject.lcshInuit--Health and hygiene--Newfoundland and Labrador
dc.title"Straight from the heavens into your bucket": domestic rainwater harvesting as a measure to improve water security in a subarctic indigenous communityen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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