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 City of Kimberley has issued their first Water Quality Advisory of the season on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. As is usual as the freshet builds up each spring, turbidity in local rivers and streams can cause water quality issues. Turbidity is a measurement of water clarity and can be an indicator of a potential health risk.
The Qikiqtani Inuit Association is going to give away 30,000 litres of bottled water to support Inuit in Iqaluit during the drinking water crisis. The elderly and anyone facing additional barriers to accessing clean drinking water will get priority. The regional Inuit association is also making a $7,000 donation to support Qajuqturvik Food Bank during the crisis. Funding for this program was made available from the Indigenous Services Canada.
Thunder Bay residents can now get interest-free loans from the city to help cover the costs of removing lead water service pipes. Councillors unanimously approved a $1.3-million, interest-free loan program on Monday. The loans are available now and come in five-year terms (except for those who qualify for the city's tax and water rebate programs, who can get 10-year loans).
A First Nation community in northwestern Ontario that has been under a boil water advisory for more than 25 years says it is evacuating some of its members after a new issue with its water supply was discovered. In a tweet just before 5 p.m. ET, Neskantaga First Nation Chief Chris Moonias said it is “disheartening and sad” that he has had to evacuate the elderly, infants, chronically ill and vulnerable people from the community for a second time during his tenure.
Water is flowing through the taps once again in Big Grassy River First Nation after three months without consistent, potable water. However, the current water is untreated and coming directly from Lake of the Woods as the community waits for repairs to the water filtration system. The result is that community members have had to go to the beach to collect water for basic sanitation needs, and buildings have been shuttered and the school remains closed to students until a running, drinkable water service is restored.
The City of Montreal is accelerating its plan to replace lead pipes in the water system. It's acting now, based on new recommendations from Health Canada and the results of recent studies. Lead exposure can cause neurological and developmental problems in children, and increase blood pressure or cause kidney problems in adults.
