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 Charlottetown water and sewer utility is starting its four-to-six-week spring maintenance beginning April 11. The program includes checks and biannual hydrant flushing. The hydrant flushing is done to keep water quality high and ensure the city has safe and clean drinking water. During flushing, hydrants will be operated at full capacity for around three to five minutes each until the water runs clear.
The City of Charlottetown is offering financial help to residents looking to protect their homes from flooding. It was one of 10 municipal governments across Canada to receive a climate resiliency grant in 2022 from the Intact Foundation, which is connected to Intact Public Entities, a large insurance company that works with municipalities. "The issue of flooding has been something that we've been aware of for certain communities across Charlottetown," said Alistair Ozon, the city's water co-ordinator.
