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.
Most Canadians take safe, clean drinking water for granted – most, but not all. In fact, over 17,600 people in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario alone are currently living under a drinking water advisory that has been in place for longer than a year. These Canadians, the vast majority of whom live in First Nations communities, rely on bottled water for hydration, cooking and personal hygiene.
Bottled water will be made available to "vulnerable populations" in Wheatley and Tilbury this week as a boil water advisory for the municipality stretches on following a fire last week. In a release, the municipality said the water will be distributed for free through the Wheatley Resource Centre and Tilbury Food Bank.
The product, set to be known as "Gatorade Water," will be "purified with a seven-step, enhanced filtration process," the company said. Gatorade is unveiling an upcoming drink option. Earlier this week, the beverage company announced that it will be releasing an unflavored water product, set to be known as "Gatorade Water," in early 2024. Described as being "electrolyte infused for a refreshing and crisp taste," Gatorade Water will be "purified with a seven-step, enhanced filtration process," and will "contain 65mg to 90mg of sodium (electrolytes) per bottle, with zero calories, carbohydrates, or protein," per the company.
Every morning, Sherri Anderson, checks the tapwater in her Botwood home to see if it's clear. More often than not, she says, it isn't. "When it's not, my husband runs the hose outside and lets the water run for hours, sometimes more than a day, until the water is clear," she told CBC News in a recent interview. Those were the instructions she received from the town council.
The Eastern Ontario Health Unit says the water meets drinking water standards, but the advisory recommends residents use bottled water or another source of water for preparing baby formula for infants and food or drinks for young people. "I’m not bathing my grandchildren when they come over and I have to have bottled water," Casselman resident Jocelyn Butler-Rohland said on Sunday.
The Aqua Water Bar by Luqel harvests its water the old-fashioned way — from the faucet. The government says tap water is safe to drink and meets international standards, though many Dubai residents prefer bottled water. Then they use a micro-dosing system designed by the German water filtration company Luqel to inject minerals. They offer to match the mineralization of high-end water brands, catering to all types of water fans, Alpine or Arctic-sourced. “Our water sommeliers have designed the drinks to suit your needs and mood,” says Roia Jabari, the managing director. “We can give you the perfectly mineralized recipe.” “Runners Heaven,” which is high in sodium and potassium, is designed for joggers recovering from the scorching desert heat. “Vegan’s Choice” offers minerals that could be lacking in a strictly herbivorous diet. Customers can fill up their bottles with any of the mineral blends for around 50 cents per 500 milliliters (16 fluid ounces) or pay more for mocktails.
“We tested in 2015 and had 53 milligrams per litre result. Over 20 mg/l needs to be reported to health unit — they advise that a notice should be posted to advise users who may have a medical reason to manage sodium intake — which we did. When we did a test this spring, it came back 120 mg/l. Again, we advised the health unit and posted.”
I put seven of Canada's bottled water brands to the test to uncover the real composition of their contents. Although it's generally safe to consume bottled water in our nation, I wanted to dig deeper. The question is not just about safety, but about which brands offer the best quality, and which ones you might be better off avoiding. I opted for some of the most popular brands including Flow, Nestlé Pure Life, Smartwater, Aquafina, Naya, Dasani and Eska.
While 2022 was the driest year since water bottling companies began monitoring, BlueTriton consultants and officials maintained the company’s water taking for bottling purposes is sustainable. BlueTriton, the conglomerate who purchased Nestle Waters Canada’s operations in 2021, held a sparsely-attended in-person meeting Thursday morning at the Puslinch Community Centre going over 2022 annual monitoring reports for its wells in Aberfoyle and Erin where it has permits to take water for bottling purposes.
Now the Haughians say they're living a "nightmare" where the landfill has contaminated the water, forcing them to sell the home to the township. Mayor Arie Hoogenboom said the couple might have to leave once the sale is complete because it is a "liability" to the township if they stay and puts their health and safety at risk. The Haughians argue they're fine where they are, citing a filtration system and bottled water provided by the township. If they have to leave, they at least want to have a say on when.
Drinking water, for many Peterborough residents, comes from the tap. The source of this tap water is our treasured Otonabee river. But many people get their drinking water from grocery and convenience stores. In 2022, according to Statista, it was forecast that Canadians spent $6.09 billion dollars on bottled water. Bottled water is a major environmental issue related to climate change and plastic pollution. In 2023, we witness stressors regarding the rising cost of living, news about our environment, and research that indicates even our bodies contain microplastics.
Oneida Nation of the Thames First Nation (ONTFN) has been under a boil water advisory since 2019. However, the first steps in the slow process of changing that are expected shortly. “There is an agreement coming, it's just at the table now,” said ONTFN Chief Todd Cornelius. “We're expecting to inform our community soon of the agreement.” Cornelius was tight lipped about the timeline, but CTV News has learned an announcement is imminent.
The federal government is providing bottled water and mental health services to First Nations struggling to deal with a spill from a tar sands tailings pond that went unreported for months in northern Alberta. “They’re devastated and their communities are devastated,” Indigenous Services Canada Minister Patty Hajdu said at a press conference in Ottawa on Monday. “They’re afraid that the water is contaminated.
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is working to deal with drinking water issues on a First Nation near Prince Albert. People living on the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) side of Little Red Reserve are being given bottled water due to a number of issues with the water infrastructure in the community. Curtis Bergeron, director for strategic water management at ISC in Ottawa explained the ministry is currently working with LLRIB to find a permanent solution to the water problems. Currently the water coming from the water treatment plant on the Montreal Lake side of Little Red is not considered safe for consumption. Many residents in the community as well have water holding tanks which are damaged and do not keep their water clean.
Living in NYC, it’s from the faucet or bottled water. And on Manitoulin, I know certain rules, such as not drinking from a Manitoulin stream or untested lake or river water, but what about other sources? Not knowing much about water and wanting to learn more, I was delighted to talk to Jeff Wahl of Wahl Water on Manitoulin Island. Jeff has specialized in all kinds of water treatment for more than 20 years.
The Royal Canadian Navy is providing sailors aboard Canada's new arctic patrol ships with bottled water to drink after tests showed increased levels of lead in the ships’ water systems. Water quality concerns aboard the newest fleet of artic patrol ships have revealed lead contamination in the navy ship's water system and were first detected on the HMCS Harry DeWolf.
Last week, Bieber and business partner Micah Cravalho visited Quatar in the midst of the FIFA World Cup festivities, where they introduced their new water technology company, Generosity. An offshoot of their Generosity bottled water brand, reports CNN, the new project aims to offer premium alkaline water in refillable fountains located worldwide. During their visit to the World Cup, the duo showcased 150 fountains in order to provide an example of how Generosity works.
New Democrat parliamentarians are urging the federal Liberals to address what they say is corporate greed driving a cost-of-living crisis for northern and Indigenous communities. As record-high prices for food, fuel and heat ripple across the North, Ottawa can lighten the financial load by reforming its Nutrition North subsidy and cutting the GST from home heating, according to northern Manitoba MP Niki Ashton and Nunavut MP Lori Idlout.
Islanders in rural areas using wells are being asked to test their water following power outages due to Fiona. Bacteria like coliform, which can make people sick, can form in pipes if there is no water filling them. Amy Carver lives in Long Creek and says she found out her water should be tested through a family friend. "We went and got tested as soon as we could and came back positive for coliform bacteria in a number that's not a safe number to have in your drinking water. And now we have a whole new set of adjustments to make," she said. "The lab that does the testing gave us an outline of precautions we needed to take and different ways to manage some household activities such as dishes. You can use the water to wash them, but you have to sanitize them in a bleach solution and air dry them."
