Pipe dreams: rural water, sewer still a luxury for some

Conklin resident Kirk Reid stands in his backyard next to his washing machine and one of his water barrels, in Conklin, Alta. on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Reid’s house is one of several that will not be able to connect to the new water and sewer pipelines in 2019 due to a lack of plumbing. Cullen Bird/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network.

Kirk Reid knows something about water conservation, living in a house without plumbing in Conklin. Twice a week, a truck fills up five barrels stored around the back of his home with 285 gallons of water. Reid, along with his mother and his girlfriend, use that water for bathing, cooking and washing laundry. At the back of his lot is an outhouse. “It’s a hard life, we’re just used to it, that’s all,” he said.

Reid, 37, works as a labourer in oilfield services, but since oil […]

Note: This article is the first in a two-part series about Wood Buffalo’s Rural Water and Sewer Projects and how they will affect lives in the region’s southern hamlets. If you enjoy reading this story, please also read the second article, " Pipe dreams: the 20-year rural water and sewer promise."

Full article: Pipe dreams: rural water, sewer still a luxury for some