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.
Alberta Environment is investigating how a family's water well near a gravel mine became so contaminated by lead it's no longer drinkable. The investigation comes as Red Deer County considers expanding mine operations that Jody Young suspects are the source of the lead she and her family may have been drinking for months. "We have it in our blood," said Young. "My son's levels are actually higher than mine."
On a feedlot in central Alberta, nearly 100 kilometres northeast of Calgary, researchers gathered to watch as floating islands were launched onto a pond created by runoff water. To people driving past on a nearby dirt road, it might not look like much. But the islands are the result of years of research and testing that could help the feedlot business recycle wastewater to the point where it could be used on crops or for cattle. And it could go beyond just that.
A group of Indigenous ceremonial ‘Water Walkers’ have been on a long journey, and recently passed through Rimbey, Ponoka and Wetaskiwin. The group, the Saskatchewan River Water Walkers, made their trek down Highway 53 on July 21, and will walk a total of 1,900 kilometres before they are finished. They “move for the water, for life and for the children.”
