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.
Prince Edward Island's Andrew Murray will be part of the birthday celebrations for King Charles III, which include the launch of a new book featuring the monarch's vision for his reign and related stories from around the Commonwealth. It amounts to a very public debut for a project that has been in development for three years in Murray's home province of P.E.I., breathing new life into former dams to generate green energy.
The ducks and Canada geese are back on Moore's Pond in Stratford, P.E.I., now that the pond is again filling up with water after dredging removed sediment that's been collecting there for years. The town applied in 2019 for funding for the project, which also includes restoration work at nearby Kelly's Pond, part of the same watershed.
A watershed group on P.E.I. hopes it will be smoother swimming for salmon returning to spawn this fall, thanks to a new pilot project run in partnership with the Canadian Wildlife and the Atlantic Salmon federations. The Souris and Area Branch of the P.E.I. Wildlife Federation is leading the project, which builds on work that's already been done in Western Canada while adapting it to the unique conditions in the province.
Prince Edward Islanders are speaking out about their experiences with a Nova Scotia-based water treatment sales company that has had its licence to operate on P.E.I. stripped by the provincial government. Kim Lyon said she received a call about water quality just before Christmas 2022. The following spring, she was contacted and told that she had "won a prize" and that someone would be by to drop it off.
A P.E.I. regulator has cancelled the licences of Maritime Home Services and its salespeople to sell products door to door on the Island, saying letting the business continue to operate here "would reduce public confidence, expose Island consumers to potential harm or exploitation… and not be in the public interest." Maritime Home Services is also known as Atlantic Environmental Systems Inc. The Nova Scotia company's salespeople promote water treatment equipment, sales and services.
Some Charlottetown businesses say they didn't get enough warning their water would be shut off for much of the day Tuesday. On Monday, the city issued a notice saying the Water and Sewer Utility would be conducting repairs to a leaking water valve near Grafton and Rochford streets. The notice stated customers in the area would be without water from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. AT on Tuesday. The outage was later extended to 5:30 p.m.
Seasonal water restrictions are in place until Sept. 30 in Charlottetown. The mandatory restrictions allow for outdoor watering only in the early morning from 5-10 a.m. or in the evening between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m., to a maximum of two hours per day. Hosing off driveways and other hard surfaces is also prohibited while the restrictions are in effect. Restrictions are required to ensure usage does not exceed the city’s capacity to supply water.
A watershed group in eastern P.E.I. is experimenting with a new mini-wetland that will filter pollutants, fertilizer and pesticides from water trickling out of the neighbouring farm field. The new vegetated ditch will also absorb carbon and create wildlife habitat. "The idea is that it'll hold water, and encourage it to stagnate, and any of the nutrients contained in the water will help feed what should turn into, hopefully, a blossoming wetland site. "It should help to filter any kind of runoff coming off the agricultural field nearby, as well as creating a lot of habitat for birds and vertebrates, and amphibians."
The cost to expand the water and sewer system in the eastern P.E.I. community of Three Rivers is coming in about 30 per cent more expensive than first budgeted. Quotes for the project came in higher than anticipated, said Dorothy Macdonald, interim CEO for the town's services. Despite the unexpected expense, she said the town is ready to get started. "The project is a priority for the town's rivers and currently we have in-hand the ability to work toward 70 per cent of the project," she said. "We're also going to work very hard in the next little while to get that extra 30 per cent, so that we are finishing this project to 100 per cent capacity by the end of next summer."The town originally projected a $4.7 million cost for the project, which will extend the current water and sewage system about 2.5 kilometres from the old border of Montague, into the old community of Brudenell and up to MacDonald Road. It is now looking at closer to $6 million. The 80 new customers who will be using the new expansion will cover most of the extra cost. It was important to her to ensure current customers using the utility did not completely cover the cost of the program, Macdonald said.
Charlottetown is one of many towns, districts and municipalities in Canada where drinking water is still flowing through asbestos cement pipes, an investigative report by a national broadcaster has found. W5 said it checked with more than 100 towns, districts and municipalities in the country and 90 per cent of them do have asbestos pipes. The pipes were installed decades ago, and all are nearing end-of-life but are still delivering tap water.
Work to restore two ponds in Stratford, P.E.I., is set to finally get underway this summer. The project to rehabilitate Moore's and Kelly's ponds got $250,000 from the federal and provincial governments last year, but the work was delayed after post-tropical storm Fiona swept across the province. Now the town expects contractors to be on site at Moore's Pond on Stratford Road as early as July.
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.
A boil-water advisory for part of Cornwall, P.E.I., has been lifted, officials say. The order was put in place for dozens of homes in Chateau Estates and houses on Lakeview Drive this week. In a statement, Doug Longmoore, Cornwall's infrastructure manager, said water samples taken by the province on Friday came back clear. Residents may now use tap water as usual.
Few will forget post-tropical storm Fiona, battering the east coast last fall. From Cape Breton to Charlottetown, Halifax to Port aux Basques, Canadians were caught between downed power lines and trees, with harrowing stories of narrow escapes from the rising waters. Some homes were completely submerged, and carried out to sea. One woman in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland, tragically lost her life this way.
Watershed groups on P.E.I. have created education campaigns encouraging Islanders to use less road salt — and keep it out of waterways — because of the impact on animals and the environment. The Trout River Environmental Committee (TREC) launched its campaign last week, in partnership with the Wheatley River Improvement Group. "The purpose is mostly just to raise awareness of the issue. A lot of people don't know the impacts of road salt, so we wanted to get the word out," said Shayla Steinhoff, project manager for TREC.
Officials on P.E.I. are reminding Islanders with wells to get their drinking water tested regularly — including for manganese. The element is naturally occurring in the environment, and is typically found in swampy areas. Some studies have shown an association between high levels of manganese in drinking water and neurological effects in children, said Ryan Neale, manager of environmental health with the Chief Public Health Office.
Prince Edward Island is focused on creating new forests by planting currently unforested areas and riparian zones, along with supporting municipalities with urban planting. In the wake of the extreme weather the province has faced, it is also necessary to incorporate replanting of hurricane-damaged areas. These actions will contribute to the province's climate change adaptation and net-zero goals and while supporting biodiversity, air and water quality, erosion control and wildlife habitat.
A rock wall under construction on the beach at Point Deroche, P.E.I., is raising discussion about what is acceptable to protect the shoreline from erosion. Bryson Guptill, an avid hiker of trails and beaches, first noticed the rock wall and beach house development months ago. "It's a problem because people used to walk down that beach and walk all the way along. Now there's so much armour stone that you can't get around. Even at low tide you can't get around."
Heavy rain is expected on Prince Edward Island overnight Wednesday. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement in connection with the forecast. Rainfall amounts will vary across the province. Generally amounts will be 30 to 50 millimetres, but could be as high as 70 in some areas. "Periods of rain will become heavy this evening and continue overnight before easing early Thursday morning. Isolated thunderstorms are also possible tonight," said CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland.
