16S rRNA gene amplicon sequences from drinking water in a Northern Manitoba Indigenous community

Access to safe and clean drinking water is essential for human health and quality of life. However, many First Nations communities in Canada continue to face significant barriers to accessing this vital resource, with nearly 30% of this population relying on cisterns for their water needs. This study investigated drinking water quality challenges in First Nations communities, focusing on decentralized systems which operate outside federal oversight. Specifically, the study examines microbial community profiles in both centralized (pipes) and decentralized (cisterns) drinking water systems in a Northern Manitoba First Nations community.