Susan Blacklin
- Published Author and Activist
Current Books
by Susan Blacklin
Water Confidential
Witnessing Justice Denied — The Fight for Safe Drinking Water in Indigenous and Rural Communities in Canada
Foreword by Warren Goulding, Erin Poochay, and John O'Connor
Published by: Caitlin Press
Water Justice
Water Justice —What You Don’t Know Could Kill You
To be released on World Water Day, March 22nd 2026.
Published by: Caitlin Press
Congress of Humanities selected Water Confidential to be included in Indigenous Studies curriculum in universities across Canada.
Water Justice
- What You Don’t Know Could Kill You
To be released on World Water Day, March 22nd 2026.
Water Justice: What You Don’t Know Could Kill You, exposes threats to the health of Canadians from Canada’s drinking water, revealing government negligence and affecting both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. The book critiques Canada’s weak and provincially varied drinking water guidelines compared to other G7 nations drinking water regulations, arguing that corporate lobbyists hold more influence than citizens over water policy.
Blacklin documents political indifference across parties and connects the decline of Canada’s water quality to the erosion of our democracy. Highlighting contaminated source waters and inadequate protections, the book calls readers to action, emphasizing that safe drinking water requires citizen engagement to overcome government failure and corporate control.
Learn more about the book!
Consulting with Susan BlacklinSusan is available to answer questions and/or give presentations via zoom on any topics covered in either of her books. A great way to share the facts with friends, book clubs, neighbourhood or community groups. Contact Susan to schedule a zoom with her.
Endorsements
“Susan Blacklin continues to strip bare the lack of legal protections for Canadians. We have no legally binding regulations for water quality and we are unaware of the threats to safe drinking water across Canada. The first step to protect ourselves is to pick up this book and read it!
Knowledge is power. The fight for safe drinking water in Canada has only just begun!”
— Elizabeth May – Leader Green Party of Canada, OC MP, Member of Parliament for Saanich — Gulf Islands
“The asbestos pipe risks that Susan reveals are worth nightmares of their own and the complexities of governance, responsibility and regulation, or rather the failure of all of these to ring a very loud bell to wake up a population heading towards a cliff edge, brings a chilling message - avoiding this disaster is probably going to be down to the victims; the public who need to start making a fuss and a big one.”
— Ash Smith, Founder, Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (UK)
“What if your glass of water isn’t as safe as you think? With fierce curiosity and a stack of studies and government documents, Susan Blacklin exposes the quiet crisis flowing beneath Canada’s calm surface. In a candid, conversational style, she uncovers government failures, aging infrastructure, and hidden dangers—like the aging cement-asbestos pipes that are still in use—that threaten communities across the country. Eye-opening, direct, and impossible to ignore, this book will have you question what is flowing through your taps.”
— Penny Rankin, President of the National Council of Women of Canada
“I have come to know Susan through her writing and advocacy work. She is a passionate Canadian, who cares deeply about the water we all rely on. She is a well-researched, and compelling storyteller, who deserves to be heard. Canada needs more Susan Blacklin’s.”
— Julian Branch, Board Member, Prevent Cancer Now
“The red lights are flashing, and the sirens are sounding nonstop since reading Water Justice: What You Don’t Know Will Kill You. This is a most comprehensive expose on the state of water in Canada and the lack of political will to put in place the regulations required to protect source waters and provide safe drinking water for all. This is your call to action.”
— Carell Wingrave, Advocacy Chair, Soroptimist International Western Canada Region
Essential Information
Drinking Water Advisories
You will find, in the following links, the number of Drinking Water Advisories in First Nations communities. It is important to learn about the different types of Drinking Water Advisories (DWAs): Boil Water Advisories (BWAs), Do Not Consume Water Advisories (DNCs), etc. It is also important to realize that this is not just an Indigenous issue. I suggest you click on and view the links in the order they appear below. There are hundreds of DWAs at any given time. They exist from coast to coast to coast. On November 2, 2025, there were 1687 DWAs across Canada. While Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) reported 38 long-term DWAs in 36 First Nations communities, Statistics Canada reported 37. ISC reported 72 short-term DWAs in First Nations communities.
WATERTODAY - Drinking Water Advisories
First Nations Long-Term Drinking Water Advisories
First Nations Short-Term Drinking Water Advisories
Statistics Canada’s Quality of Life Hub: Drinking Water
When Susan asked for information regarding a discrepancy between Indigenous Services Canada’s numbers of Drinking Water Advisories and First Nations Health Authority’s numbers of Drinking Water Advisories, she received the following response from First Nations Health Authority:
FNHA posts Drinking Water Advisories based on a summary of water systems with five or more connections (Community Water Systems), and smaller water systems that have public facilities i.e., Campgrounds (Public Water Systems). Public Water Systems include both Nation-owned and privately owned systems. Water systems on Leased Land are not included. ISC posts info on Community Water Systems owned and operated by the Nation and funded by ISC. The data sets used by FNHA and ISC are slightly different, but FNHA includes all that ISC posts. If you have questions related to the data that ISC posts, please reach out directly to ISC.
FNHA produces a monthly snapshot of advisories in BC First Nation communities. It includes both systems funded by ISC and systems not funded by ISC. It includes Water Quality Advisories, Boil Water Advisories, Do Not Consume Advisories, and Do Not Use Advisories. It includes long-term, short-term, and brief advisories. Sometimes, it includes advisories off-reserve for Public Water Systems owned and operated by a Nation.
For more information, please see the FNHA page on Drinking Water Advisories: https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/environmental-health/drinking-water-advisories
Comparison of Guidelines, Regulations, and Standards From Around the World
Newsletter Signup
& Questions
Please leave your contact information to be advised when Water Justice: What You Don't Know Could Kill You becomes available.
In Water Confidential, you will learn about the history of First Nations drinking water and the current state of water on reserves across Canada. You will also learn about the political and social factors that have contributed to the crisis and the challenges faced by First Nations communities in their efforts to secure safe and clean drinking water for all their people.