Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Gjoa Haven (Nov 28/05) - People are making the best of a bad situation in Gjoa Haven.

The hamlet has been forced to get its water from Swan Lake - three kilometres outside the hamlet - since the community's reservoir wall collapsed in mid-October.

The plan has been working, but the hamlet has taken steps to make sure winter doesn't stop the water deliveries.

"We are filling up tanks in the proposed treatment plant," said Gjoa Haven senior administrative officer Raymond Kamookak.

He explained that the water in the tanks is for emergencies only. When bad weather ruins visibility, the water trucks can't make the trip to Swan Lake.

The tanks can hold two days worth of water. Kamookak explained that it could be very important if the community is faced with a fire.

"It will help on storm days. There are no lights (on the road to Swan Lake) and you can't see that far," said Kamookak.

The hamlet is coping with the lake water, and Kamookak said people have been upbeat about it.

"Nobody's complaining. Everyone seems to be happy. We have been hearing the comments on the radio," said Kamookak.

Why the reservoir wall broke has yet to be determined, but Kamookak has a guess.

"Some of us are thinking that the lake got too full, and the bottom (of the reservoir wall) thawed out. The gravel wasn't strong enough," said Kamookak.

Repairs to the reservoir aren't planned until springtime, which means residents will have to cope with trucked-in water for the whole of winter.