Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

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.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Health Canada guidelines

Manganese levels remain high in Casselman, Ont. drinking water

Manganese levels remain high in Casselman, Ont. drinking water

Earlier this month, residents raised concerns about drinking water that is dark, appearing dirty or the colour of apple juice. The discoloured water is because of high levels of manganese – a mineral distributed in air, water and soil – present in the South Nation River, according to the municipality. In an update this week, the municipality said it has issued a water quality advisory for the Municipal Water Distribution System due to manganese levels above the Canadian Drinking Water Quality guidelines, and the advisory will remain in effect for further notice.

Casselman residents disgusted by latest bout of 'horrifying' brown water Social Sharing

Casselman residents disgusted by latest bout of 'horrifying' brown water Social Sharing

Manganese levels were at a historic high earlier this week, reaching 0.45 mg/L, according to Mayor Geneviève Lajoie. They subsequently decreased to 0.35 mg/L on Thursday, still well above Health Canada's "maximum acceptable concentration" of 0.12 mg/L. That guideline is based on the possible risks for infants, who may be particularly sensitive to neurological effects.

HRM reopens Kinap Beach in Porters Lake for swimming

HRM reopens Kinap Beach in Porters Lake for swimming

Kinap Beach in Porters Lake is reopened for public swimming after it was recently closed because tests showed high levels of bacteria in the water. Swimming was prohibited at the beach after testing Saturday indicated high bacteria levels exceeding Health Canada guidelines. Halifax Regional Municipality said in a news release that follow-up testing showed the water is again safe, in line with Health Canada guidelines.

Liberal MPs call on Ottawa to tackle ‘national public health crisis’ of lead in drinking water

Liberal MPs call on Ottawa to tackle ‘national public health crisis’ of lead in drinking water

A group of federal Liberal MPs are asking their government to invest up to $400 million to combat the “health crisis” of lead-contaminated drinking water which was exposed in communities across the country by a national investigation by 10 media outlets, including Global News and the Toronto Star. An open letter written by Hamilton MP Bob Bratina says the government “can and must” direct a portion of infrastructure spending designed to revitalize the post-COVID-19 economy into the “national public health crisis we face in the form of lead-contaminated drinking water.”

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