We all have a personal connection to water – it is the life force that sustains us, flows between and within us, and shapes the land.
The entire purpose of Canada's plan — the reason we are investing time, effort and money to implement it — is to protect people and the environment, including water.
The NWMO understands the importance of water and the need to protect it for generations to come. It is at the core of what we do and a shared commitment with Canadians and Indigenous peoples.
As part of that shared commitment, we invest in and support a range of projects to advance our understanding of water, contribute to the conservation of aquatic species and local habitats, provide financial support to people to improve their water wells, and learn more about water conservation and shoreline preservation.
The two potential repository sites being considered for a deep geological repository would move used nuclear fuel further away from bodies of water, including the Great Lakes, than where much of it is currently stored today. The repository design also uses a series of five engineered and natural barriers that work together to contain and isolate used nuclear fuel from people and the environment, including water.
By drawing from two knowledge systems – western science and Indigenous Knowledge – we are constantly learning about how water sustains us, the significant cultural importance of water to Indigenous peoples and the personal connections we all have with water.
The NWMO employs and partners with passionate people dedicated to protecting water across all areas of work. Together, we are listening to and learning from water so that we can always respect, protect and nurture it.