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

fuel

Recovery of military helicopter involved in crash underway, 'small amount of fluids' in water

Recovery of military helicopter involved in crash underway, 'small amount of fluids' in water

According to a public service announcement, small amounts of fluid “released from the helicopter have been noted in the water within the containment area and have been removed.” A contractor has been monitoring contamination through water sampling of the crash site. As of Tuesday afternoon, Lavallee said sampling hasn’t found any contamination along the riverbank or beach. “We have some specialized equipment on site, on the river, to contain any fluids like lubricants, or fuel, or any contaminant that may leave the aircraft into the water to prevent that contamination from getting into the wider environment. There has been some evidence of some small amount of fluids that have come out of the helicopter, but it’s all been contained by this specialized equipment.”

Iqaluit water treatment plant to return to service after more than a year

Iqaluit water treatment plant to return to service after more than a year

The City of Iqaluit says its water treatment plant is to return to service Tuesday morning, more than a year after it was shut down due to contamination. The plant was initially shut down in October 2021 after fuel was detected in the city's water supply. A do-not-consume order was lifted in December of that year, but less than a week later it was discovered the water was contaminated by a tar-like substance.

Iqaluit completes investigation into contaminated drinking water

Iqaluit completes investigation into contaminated drinking water

Iqaluit has just completed an investigation into its worst water contamination crisis. Last fall, fuel leaked into the water supply leaving it undrinkable for two months. Then in January, a different source contaminated the water again. Heather Yourex-West reports on the cause and concerns about clean drinking water in Canada’s northernmost city.

Water deliveries to resume in Sachs Harbour, no fuel found in water source

Water deliveries to resume in Sachs Harbour, no fuel found in water source

Homes in Sachs Harbour are once again getting water deliveries after the community went without for over a week, and some households had to rely on bottled water and other sources of potable water. On March 23, after signs of fuel contamination were found in some trucked water, people in the community were asked to switch to bottled water and other sources if they'd had a water delivery since March 21.

How did fuel enter water?

How did fuel enter water?

Iqaluit resident Jenny Ell says she couldn't believe it when she turned on her tap a couple of weeks ago and smelled fuel for the second time in a matter of months. Ell, who is pregnant, said she was worried for her baby's safety and immediately contacted the city. "I'm hanging in there," Ell said. "Hopefully they're not slow about it like the last time it happened." About 8,000 people in the territory's capital city couldn't drink the tap water for two months last fall when it was found to be contaminated with fuel.

Fuel contamination concerns continue to cloud Iqaluit’s drinking water. Here’s why

Fuel contamination concerns continue to cloud Iqaluit’s drinking water. Here’s why

The small city of Iqaluit is facing a water challenge again after traces of fuel were found in the Nunavut capital’s drinking water last week. A precautionary boil water advisory issued Wednesday is in place and the city has shut down its water treatment plant because a breach in the system is suspected to have caused Iqaluit residents to smell fuel in their water.

Nunavut government confirms fuel found in Iqaluit water supply again

Nunavut government confirms fuel found in Iqaluit water supply again

The Nunavut government has confirmed that traces of fuel have been found in Iqaluit's water supply, again. Danarae Sommerville, a spokesperson for the territory's Department of Health, stated in a media release that there "were levels of fuel oil that entered the system." However, the release adds that levels are below Health Canada's drinking water values. Even so, a do-not-consume order has not been issued.

'We're all tired': Iqaluit residents unable to drink tap water for nearly 2 months

'We're all tired': Iqaluit residents unable to drink tap water for nearly 2 months

In the summer, the Sylvia Grinnell River near Iqaluit is a popular spot to fish for Arctic char where ice-cold water cascades over rocky ledges. Now, with thick layers of ice and snow covering the flowing water below, it has become one of the city's main water sources for drinking and cooking. The other comes in thousands of plastic water bottles that arrive by plane.

City of Iqaluit votes to offer blanket rebate on water bills

City of Iqaluit votes to offer blanket rebate on water bills

Iqaluit's city council voted unanimously Tuesday to provide a water rebate for residents. Nearly 8,000 residents were ordered not to drink the tap water when fuel was discovered in one of the city's two water tanks at its water treatment plant earlier this month. The 100 per cent rebate was proposed by Mayor Kenny Bell. It will cost the city over $965,000 in revenue for the month of October.

City of Iqaluit says historical fuel spill likely source of drinking water contamination

City of Iqaluit says historical fuel spill likely source of drinking water contamination

An Iqaluit city official told CBC News that an underground fuel spill found near the water treatment plant could explain why the city had to declare an emergency due to fuel-contaminated drinking water. "The team located an underground spill that showed signs of historic fuel adjacent to the water treatment plant in an inaccessible, below-ground void," Amy Elgersma, Iqaluit's chief administrative officer, told Mary Tatty, host of CBC's noon hour program, Nipivut.

Iqaluit’s water crisis unveils a bigger problem: There’s no recycling in the Arctic

Iqaluit’s water crisis unveils a bigger problem: There’s no recycling in the Arctic

A week-long water crisis that has left residents of Nunavut's capital city Iqaluit without drinking water is also exposing a chronic problem for many northern communities: It's almost impossible to safely get rid of garbage. Close to 750,000 plastic water bottles have flooded the city in recent days after city staff last week found fuel in Iqaluit's water supply. While a coalition of businesses has since teamed up to ship the empty bottles back, most of the city's trash never returns south.

Nunavut companies to ship plastic water bottles to Southern Canada for recycling

Nunavut companies to ship plastic water bottles to Southern Canada for recycling

A group of companies in Nunavut has teamed up to help recycle thousands of plastic water bottles that have been shipped to Iqaluit during the capital city’s water crisis. Iqaluit’s tap water hasn’t been drinkable for a week after it was found to contain fuel. As a result, shipments of bottled water were sent to the city of about 8,000 people and distributed to residents for free. But with no recycling facility, piles of plastic bottles are bound to end up in Iqaluit’s landfill.

Iqaluit city council extends state of local emergency over water crisis

Iqaluit city council extends state of local emergency over water crisis

During an emergency city council meeting on Tuesday, Iqaluit city council extended the local state of emergency in a unanimous vote. A state of emergency was declared on Oct. 12 after city staff found evidence of fuel contamination in the city's treated water supply. Residents were the water as it is unsafe to drink, even if filtered or boiled. During Tuesday's meeting, Coun. Kyle Sheppard told residents there is enough safe drinking water for all.

Iqaluit community bands together as drinking water remains contaminated by fuel

Iqaluit community bands together as drinking water remains contaminated by fuel

When staff at Iqaluit‘s Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre heard the news last week that water from the city’s distribution pipes wasn’t safe to drink because of fuel contamination, they knew some people weren’t going to be able to get the precious liquid themselves. The city set up two distribution sites where people could fill up jugs with potable water, and many were able to drive to the nearby Sylvia Grinnell River and collect it themselves to boil for drinking. But Rachel Blais, executive director of the food centre, which runs a meal service and other community programs, said many people don’t have vehicles. Others, she said, have kids or work multiple jobs and don’t have time to get water.

Iqaluit hospital limits surgeries as city water tests show 'exceedingly high concentrations' of fuel

Iqaluit hospital limits surgeries as city water tests show 'exceedingly high concentrations' of fuel

The results of water quality testing in Iqaluit showed "exceedingly high concentrations of various fuel components" in one of the city's water tanks, the city's chief administrative officer said Friday at a news conference, as residents learned their water supply will remain undrinkable until at least mid-next week. While officials said the water could contain diesel or kerosene the territory's top doctor doesn't see long-term health concerns for those who drank the water.

Quebec museum exhibit to wade into the history and potential of human waste

Quebec museum exhibit to wade into the history and potential of human waste

The excrement that is flushed away in Canadian toilets each day is the world's "most underrated, limitless resource,'' says the creator of a new museum exhibit that delves into one of humankind's messiest subjects. Coline Niess of the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City says the upcoming exhibit titled "Oh Shit!'' will explore all the facets of human waste — and that it's not a laughing matter.

'I was wondering why the water looked so clean': CRD's sewage treatment plant up and running

'I was wondering why the water looked so clean': CRD's sewage treatment plant up and running

Victoria and surrounding municipalities are no longer dumping untreated sewage into the ocean — much to the delight of our neighbours south of the border. Washington state Governor Jay Inslee, who has a house on Bainbridge Island, is among those welcoming news that, after four years of construction, the Capital Regional District’s $775-million Wastewater Treatment Project has begun treating sewage at the McLoughlin Point plant.

Follow us