Water, science, and sovereignty: UBC research brings clean drinking water partnership to remote Indigenous communities

A partnership between UBC Civil Engineering and the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council is proving that university research can be translated into practical, community-owned solutions — and that reconciliation can happen one water drop at a time.

For the roughly 10 homes in the Hupacasath First Nation community near Port Alberni, B.C., access to safe drinking water has never been as simple as turning on a tap. Remote geography, limited infrastructure, and years of underfunding have placed communities inside a system designed for someone else — one where complex, expensive water treatment technology arrives without the training, budget, or community capacity to sustain it.

That is beginning to change. A collaboration between UBC's Department of Civil Engineering and the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) is piloting a passive membrane water treatment system designed from the ground up for small, remote, and under-resourced communities — and doing so in a way that keeps control in Indigenous hands. This partnership has led to the transfer of the treatment technology patent from UBC to the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.

“Hupacasath has always had issues with clean drinking water at our Kleekhoot reserve and have looked at many options over the years. This passive membrane system has resolved a long-standing problem in getting our residents useable water. We were happy to work with UBC and NTC to pilot this project. We know more communities will also be able to use this system,” noted Chief Brandy Lauder Hupacasath First Nation.

The Science of Simplicity

At the heart of the project is over a decade of research by UBC Professor Pierre Bérubé, Bérubé's team demonstrated that submerged hollow fibre ultrafiltration membranes can operate passively — using gravity and naturally occurring microorganisms instead of chemicals and pumps to keep membranes clean. The system provides high quality potable water and can be maintained by community staff.

In 2018, UBC proposed a containerized Passive Membrane Potable Water Treatment Plant for the Klehkoot Reserve of the Hupacasath First Nation — supported in part by a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council grant; and a partnership with Indigenous Services Canada and the British Columbia First Nations Health Authority. The community had been without a reliable water treatment system for over a decade.

Reconciliation by Design

The project is structured as an act of economic reconciliation. Too often, First Nations communities are positioned as recipients of externally designed infrastructure they have limited capacity and funding to maintain or own. This partnership was built differently: training, troubleshooting, and system knowledge were transferred to the Tribal Council, with the explicit goal that communities would not remain dependent on outside engineers to keep the water running.

“NTC would like to thank UBC Civil Engineering for transferring this valuable patent to us after working together for years in developing this water membrane system. Clean drinking water on reserve has long been an issue especially for rural and remote reserves. This system is a good solution to help NTC communities tackle clean drinking water,” shared Cloy-e-iis Judith Sayers, President Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.

This approach reflects UBC's "Partnering with Purpose" strategy — a commitment to research relationships that are reciprocal, community-driven, and measured not just by publications, but by impact. UBC has a long track record of working with Indigenous communities across B.C., and this project deepens that commitment by ensuring the benefits of university research flow directly to the people who need them most.

“The Klehkoot system demonstrates what’s possible when research is developed in partnership with communities. Technological innovations are important, but it’s the relationships and trust built over many years that make implementation possible” said Pierre Bérubé, Professor, UBC.

What Comes Next

The UBC–NTC research partnership is ongoing. With the Hupacasath pilot providing real-world data, both partners are now working toward deploying three additional systems across other NTC communities. There are also emerging conversations about global collaboration — bringing a proven, made-in-Canada solution to remote communities beyond our borders.

For Nuu-chah-nulth Nations safe drinking water is not a policy metric — it is health, dignity, and the right to raise a family in their Ha’houlthee.. UBC's partnership with NTC is transforming rigorous science into tangible  impacts. This is what partnering with purpose looks like in practice.