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.
Flood-impacted Manitobans with private wells and cisterns can test their water supply for free, as the province pushes to waive off fees temporarily. The move will subsidize costs related to water testing. In an announcement on May 8, the province said the push aims to lift some of the financial burdens caused by flooding. It comes into effect Monday and ends on Aug. 31.
The City of Winnipeg's public service is recommending a combined 11.6 per cent increase to water and sewer rates over the next four years. A report to the city's water and waste committee says the main driver behind the recommended increase is providing funding for improvements to the city's North End sewage treatment facility and other sewage infrastructure projects. The city faces approximately $1.8 billion in costs to upgrade the treatment plant.
