Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

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.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

contaminants

Laval residents can use water but told not to consume it as advisory still in effect

Laval residents can use water but told not to consume it as advisory still in effect

Laval residents in the Ste-Dorothée district can now use their tap water but officials warned Thursday it still isn’t safe to drink, even if boiled. City officials first put out a notice on Tuesday, telling residents not to use their tap water at all. The advisory was issued after firefighters extinguished a blaze in the area and contaminants were found in the water. City officials suspect one of the products used to extinguish the blaze entered the local water supply for a brief amount of time.

Residents of Sainte-Dorothée in Laval warned not to use water

Residents of Sainte-Dorothée in Laval warned not to use water

The Sainte-Dorothée district in Laval, Que., is currently under a notice of non-use of water due to water quality concerns. Citizens are permitted to use their toilets and flush, but other water use is restricted until further notice. The notice of non-use of water is issued when water consumption poses a health risk, and the water system contains contaminants that cannot be removed by boiling, the city says on its website. 

Water declared safe to drink in Meaford, state of emergency remains in place

Water declared safe to drink in Meaford, state of emergency remains in place

Residents in Meaford have officially been given the all-clear to use their water again after a “do-not-consume” advisory was issued on Sunday. City officials declared the “do-not-consume” advisory over Wednesday night after receiving confirmation from the Grey Bruce medical officer of health, Dr. Ian Arra, that the water from the municipal water system was safe to drink. While the advisory has been lifted, the municipality says the state of emergency remains in place. The municipality issued the emergency Sunday following concerns about contaminants leaching into the ground and the water supply in Georgian Bay around Johnny B’s Automotive and Car Care following the fire.

Agro-waste could be the solution to a cleaner water supply in Sask., U of S researcher says

Agro-waste could be the solution to a cleaner water supply in Sask., U of S researcher says

Securing a safe water supply for Earth’s growing population is a global goal that is reflected in the long-term sustainability plans of almost every nation. Creatively solving this problem is another matter altogether. University of Saskatchewan graduate student Bernd Steiger is using chemistry expertise and Saskatchewan-based waste to soak up contaminants in fresh water reserves. “This province can be considered the breadbasket of Canada with its large agricultural sector,” Steiger noted. “Agro-waste (such as the inedible part of a plant, for example) is a low-value byproduct of agriculture, and turning this waste material into specialty adsorbents can aide in generating additional wealth for the Sask. agro-economy, while also serving to address water security and sustainability goals.” Steiger’s work uses several principles of what is referred to as ‘green chemistry’ — a type of chemistry that avoids a need for conventional chemical or energy inputs.

Distilled Water Market Size to Surpass USD 654.12 Million with Growing CAGR of 8.00% by 2030, Market Share, Trends, Growth Strategies, Competitive Analysis and Regional Overview

Distilled Water Market Size to Surpass USD 654.12 Million with Growing CAGR of 8.00% by 2030, Market Share, Trends, Growth Strategies, Competitive Analysis and Regional Overview

Distilled water has produced when the water has been boiled into vapor and then condensed into liquid in a separate vessel. The impurities such as contaminants and minerals of the original water do not boil below boiling point or near the boiling point of water left in the original container. Therefore, distilled water is a type of purified water.

Richmond recycling company ordered to stop discharging water into river

Richmond recycling company ordered to stop discharging water into river

A Mitchell Island metal and used car recycling company requested the right to continue flushing contaminated water into the Fraser River, while it appeals an earlier order to stop the practice. The request was denied. The Environmental Appeal Board, a provincial body that hears appeals of such orders, said it is in the public interest to keep the order for Richmond Steel Recycling (RSR) in place to protect the environment.

‘Now is the time to protect these wetlands’

‘Now is the time to protect these wetlands’

Using high-resolution satellite images and computer modelling, researchers from the University of Waterloo have documented the importance small wetlands play in water purification and conservation. “What our work showed is that they are actually really important,” said Nandita Basu, a professor at the University of Waterloo and Canada Research Chair in Global Water Sustainability and Ecohydrology.

Toxic toilet paper and long-lasting chemicals found in endangered killer whales

Toxic toilet paper and long-lasting chemicals found in endangered killer whales

A chemical used in the production of toilet paper and 'forever chemicals' have been found in the bodies of orcas in B.C. , including the endangered southern resident killer whales. The Institute for the Ocean and Fisheries at UBC, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientists analyzed tissue samples from six southern resident killer whales and six Bigg’s whales stranded along the coast of B.C. from 2006 to 2018, according to a recent study. They discovered that chemical pollutants are prevalent in killer whales, with a chemical often found in toilet paper one of the most prevalent in the samples studied, accounting for 46 per cent of the total pollutants identified.

Canadian scientists watching for new COVID variants in airplane wastewater

Canadian scientists watching for new COVID variants in airplane wastewater

As Canadian public health officials question China's transparency in sharing its COVID-19 surveillance information, scientists are stepping up airplane wastewater testing to try to get an early warning of potential new variants. On Friday, Vancouver International Airport will join Toronto's Pearson International Airport in taking samples of fecal matter that came from airplane toilets to identify what coronavirus variants and subvariants passengers and crew might be bringing into Canada.

Peter S. Ross: We need to understand the extent to which floods further degrade fish habitat

Peter S. Ross: We need to understand the extent to which floods further degrade fish habitat

With government agencies dealing with the urgent public safety needs of the day, the health of fish habitat ranked low on the list of priorities. But as floodwaters rose, the distinction between terrestrial and aquatic habitats blurred, salmon and sturgeon swam across farmers’ fields, and contaminants from human activities washed unfettered into streams and rivers.

How Acuva balances global growth with local impact to provide clean drinking water

How Acuva balances global growth with local impact to provide clean drinking water

Canada is privileged to have abundant clean drinking water, but that’s not the case globally. Nearly one-third of people worldwide don’t have access to clean drinking water due to microbes and other contaminants, a problem that Manoj Singh thinks he can solve with technology. Singh founded Acuva in 2014 with a mission to enable clean drinking water using technology and so far he’s secured $8.4 million in growth financing to do it.

IISD Experimental Lake Area receive major funding

IISD Experimental Lake Area receive major funding

The IISD Experimental Lake Area has received $11.7 million, over the next five years, from the Government of Canada through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) Major Science Initiatives Fund. “This funding is essential to driving forward our research on threats to Canada’s precious fresh water—from microplastics to drugs in our water and much more,” said Richard Florizone, IISD’s President and CEO in a prepared release.

City reacts as EPA reduces safe levels of PFAS in drinking water

City reacts as EPA reduces safe levels of PFAS in drinking water

n the wake of news from south of the border that could eventually affect drinking water standards and their regulation in Canada, the City of North Bay is sharing its preliminary findings on the potential local impact. On June 15, the U.S.-based Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new advisories regarding some per- and polyfluororalkyl substances (PFAS), which significantly reduces the safe level of these microscopic chemicals in drinking water from the previous standard.

Road traffic isn’t just bad for the air – it's potentially a major source of water pollution: U of T study

Road traffic isn’t just bad for the air – it's potentially a major source of water pollution: U of T study

Heavy traffic is often associated with air pollution but a new study from the University of Toronto suggests it’s a major contributor to water pollution, too. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, found that chemicals commonly used in vehicle fluids, tires and paints were much higher in rivers next to roads with heavy traffic. “We found a strong relationship between traffic and the concentration of these chemicals,” says Tife Awonaike, a recent PhD graduate from the department of physical and environmental science at U of T Scarborough who is lead author of the study.

What’s in the water? USask grad student investigates environmental threat of contaminants in Saskatoon stormwater

What’s in the water? USask grad student investigates environmental threat of contaminants in Saskatoon stormwater

University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Engineering graduate student Hayley Popick and her research team are investigating how contaminants generated from the City of Saskatoon may be affecting the water supply and ecosystems of the South Saskatchewan River. “Stormwater can be as polluted as untreated wastewater or sewage when it enters our natural water bodies,” said Popick.

Iqaluit is repairing and upgrading its water system but you still can't drink from it

Iqaluit is repairing and upgrading its water system but you still can't drink from it

Work continues to repair and upgrade Iqaluit's water treatment plant but the do-not-consume order remains in place for now. Earlier Monday, the government of Nunavut issued a reminder to Iqaluit residents not to use their tap water for drinking or cooking, following the discovery of fuel in the city's water system in October. The majority of the contamination was in the north tank, one of two tanks in the water plant.

The Grand River is full of contaminants says award winning Indigenous McMaster prof.

The Grand River is full of contaminants says award winning Indigenous McMaster prof.

"I don't think any of us were really prepared for the scope and magnitude of the problem so we had to continuously write more grants to address emerging issues. More than anything, it was shocking," said Martin-Hill, who is Mohawk and Wolf Clan. "I really assumed the worst case scenario was going to be in Alberta and to find out the kinds of contamination that have gone into the Grand River for a century, the problems here are much worse."

Toxic, long-lasting contaminants detected in people living in northern Canada

Toxic, long-lasting contaminants detected in people living in northern Canada

Almost all of us have PFAS in our body even though some types of PFAS have been banned internationally since 2000. Exposure to PFAS usually comes from food, consumer products and contaminated water. Populations with higher exposures to PFAS tend to have a greater incidence of high cholesterol, thyroid disruption, cancer, early menopause and other health effects.

How colonial systems have left some First Nations without drinking water

How colonial systems have left some First Nations without drinking water

Rebecca Zagozewski, executive director of the Saskatchewan First Nations Water Association, said she has seen contractors save on costs when building water treatment plants on reserves by using obsolete parts and failing to include maintenance manuals, ventilation or chemical rooms, and bathrooms. “Engineering companies will put in their bids obviously as low as they can go,” said Zagozewski.

Alberta promises close watch on new mines but cuts oversight of coal-polluted rivers

Alberta promises close watch on new mines but cuts oversight of coal-polluted rivers

Alberta government documents show repeated cuts to environmental monitoring despite contaminants in some waterways that exceed thresholds that are supposed to trigger increased scrutiny. The province's 2019 five-year monitoring plan shows stations on two rivers and a creek polluted with selenium from coal mines were mothballed. That was despite more than two decades of readings that Alberta Environment guidelines suggest should have led to closer attention.

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