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

fatigue

Canadian woman hospitalized after drinking too much water for '75 Hard' challenge; had severe sodium deficiency

Canadian woman hospitalized after drinking too much water for '75 Hard' challenge; had severe sodium deficiency

Severe sodium deficiency is referred to as hyponatremia in medical terms and is life-threatening if left untreated. In this, the concentration of sodium in the blood drops to an abnormally low level and this affects the individual because sodium is an electrolyte and it regulates the water content of the cells. When there is less sodium and more water in the body, the cells swell up and this triggers several health issues. The common symptoms of sodium deficiency are nausea and vomiting, headache, confusion, energy loss, fatigue, irritability, restlessness, muscle weakness, cramps, seizures and coma. These are initial signs of the disorder and one should visit a doctor immediately after identifying these signs.

Contaminant from coal mines already high in some Alberta rivers: unreported data

Contaminant from coal mines already high in some Alberta rivers: unreported data

The province's plan for large-scale expansion of the industry is fueling widespread criticism that includes concerns over selenium pollution. The data shows that same contaminant has been found for years at high levels downstream of three mines and never publicly reported. The findings raise questions about Alberta Environment, said a former senior official who has seen the data. "There were lots of [selenium] numbers and it was consistently above the water quality guidelines and in many cases way higher," said Bill Donahue, the department's one-time executive director of science. "Why did Alberta Environment sit on these data for easily the last 10 to 15 years?"

Bacteria discovery has left island hospital relying on bottled water since March

Bacteria discovery has left island hospital relying on bottled water since March

Patients and staff at Salt Spring Island's sole hospital are still relying on bottled water, months after legionella bacteria was detected in the facility's water system. Island Health advised against using the water at Lady Minto Hospital for drinking or bathing in March, when routine testing showed low levels of the bacteria were present. 

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