Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
The Northwest Territories Power Corporation has been using more than seven times the usual amount of diesel to generate electricity in the North Slave as low water levels impede its hydroelectric dam system. The Snare hydro system is a series of four hydro plants that provide power to Yellowknife, Behchokǫ̀ and Dettah. The system usually generates about 98 per cent of all the electricity needed to power those communities, but this year — it's been a different story.
The Northwest Territories' minister of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) says it's "not realistic" to expect the territorial government to give communities all the money they need to cover their basic costs. Minister Shane Thompson acknowledged on Monday that N.W.T. communities are underfunded, but said it isn't feasible for the territorial government to close the funding gap, given "today's economy … and our current fiscal situation."
The N.W.T. government says the Behchokǫ̀ community government, which includes Rae, Edzo and Frank Channel, is responsible for budgeting major repairs to its deteriorating water infrastructure. That's after residents in Edzo went weeks with brown water coming from their taps, or none at all. "This is a municipal government issue," said Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Shane Thompson.
A problem with aging infrastructure at the water treatment plant in Edzo, N.W.T. over the weekend has led to brown water — and in some cases, no water — flowing from people's taps, according to Behchokǫ̀ Chief Clifford Daniels. People using Edzo's piped water system were told to start conserving water as of Friday, according to a post on the Tłı̨chǫ Government's website, because the plant was experiencing "technical difficulties."
