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.
Last summer, three Metro Vancouver beaches were closed to swimmers after high levels of E. coli were detected in the water. And this is a pretty common occurrence. Almost every year, beaches, lakes, and other water bodies are closed to swimming across Canada because there is fecal matter mixed into the water. Our poop! So how did that poop get there? Well, it's because of something called the combined sewer and stormwater system.
Public washrooms are open at five Ottawa beaches, but don't take that as a sign it's safe to go back in the water. "The water is not open," said Mayor Jim Watson during a teleconference Wednesday. "We're not testing it and there are no lifeguards." Seasonal washrooms are open at Britannia Park, Andrew Haydon Park, Westboro Beach, Mooney's Bay Beach and Petrie Island Beaches, the city said.
