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 Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) has closed Chocolate Lake Beach for swimming after confirming high levels of bacteria in the water. In a news release, HRM said recent test shows bacteria levels at the beach exceed Health Canada’s swimming guidelines. The beach is closed for swimming until further notice. However, HRM staff will continue testing the water until bacteria levels return to safe levels and will notify the public.
A blue-green algae risk advisory previously in effect for Birch Cove Beach at Dartmouth's Lake Banook has been lifted, according to a release Wednesday from the Halifax Regional Municipality. Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, occurs in freshwater environments and can multiply rapidly during the summer. Some types of blue-green algae produce toxins during blooms. Toxins may be released into the water when the blooms decay. However, test results showed no toxin-producing blue-green algae in samples collected.
