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.
Melfort council has passed a motion to allow the city to borrow $4 million for water line replacements this summer. This isn’t the first public conversation about the borrowing with it being a topic of discussion when council deliberated the 2022 budget in January. The city loses about 12 to 15 per cent of its water supply due to breaks annually. Adam Homes, Melfort’s city manager, called the $4 million loan a start to alleviating the issue.
The winter of 2021-2022 has had its share of drastic temperature swings that could have flooding implications for homeowners in the not-too-distant future. The freeze-thaw cycle has been repetitive this season which could accentuate stress on building foundations. As a result, older homes with cinder-block basements are especially at risk of structural damage.
With temperatures fluctuating from cold to mild over the past few days, Saskatchewan residents are being reminded to watch out for ice dams on their property. SGI Canada says the freeze-thaw cycle during the winter months creates ideal conditions for condensation and ice damming. The results can cause damage to walls, ceilings and insulation, not to mention it can lead to mould issues down the road.
