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

MAC

Water testing at RMOW facilities finds elevated lead, copper

Water testing at RMOW facilities finds elevated lead, copper

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is working on mitigation efforts for drinking water in municipal facilities—while continuing to work on longer-term solutions for the entire community—after testing done late last year found elevated levels of lead and copper on first samplings. A report by Kerr Wood Leidal consulting engineers dated Dec. 10, 2020 shows the results for 11 RMOW-owned buildings: The Point Artist-Run Centre; the Maury Young Arts Centre; the Spruce Grove Fieldhouse (home of the Waldorf School); the Public Works Yard; Municipal Hall; the Public Safety Building (which houses the Whistler RCMP); the main firehall; Spring Creek Community School; the Whistler Museum and Archives; the Whistler Public Library; and a house at 7235 Fitzsimmons Road North.

Manitoba cautions on manganese in well water

Manitoba cautions on manganese in well water

A significant number of wells in Manitoba may be carrying water with manganese levels well above new health standards, particularly for infants. The province on May 3 issued an advisory for owners of private wells that their water “may exceed a new health-based guideline” for the trace element. The element occurs naturally, and commonly, in well water throughout Canada. It’s often associated with discoloured (that is, brown or blackish) water, which can stain laundry and/or plumbing fixtures, and which some well owners deal with through water treatment.

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