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 Hamilton Conservation Authority has declared a level one low water condition for the entire watershed and is urging people to reduce their water use by 10 per cent. The authority says rain levels for the past three months were well below normal with extended dry periods. The conditions are impacting Spencer Creek, Chedoke Creek, Redhill Creek, Battlefield Creek, and Stoney Creek, as well as numbered watercourses, tributaries and minor watercourses
