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.
Metro Vancouver residents won't be able to water their lawns starting Friday as the region brings in new water restrictions to conserve drinking water. The region is activating Stage 2 watering restrictions starting Aug 4, as much of the province continues to experience hot, dry temperatures and significant drought conditions. The regional district says this is the first time restrictions have been raised beyond Stage 1 since 2015 when there was a low snowpack and dry conditions.
Metro Vancouver is warning its residents and businesses that water usage for lawns will be restricted beginning next month. Starting May 1, seasonal regulations that limit lawn watering to once per week will come into effect in an effort to conserve the region’s drinking water for the coming hot and dry months. “We are increasingly seeing variable weather patterns due to climate change, and we can’t always count on rainfall to replenish our water supply when we need it,” said George V. Harvie, Metro Vancouver board of directors chair.
For the first time since last May, the Sunshine Coast Regional District has lifted water conservation regulations affecting a large part of its area north of Vancouver. A statement from the regional district says, effective immediately, Stage 1 water conservation regulations have been removed in the Chapman water system. In October, the regional district said the reservoir — which serves about 90 per cent of residents in the area — was at risk of "imminent exhaustion'' as southern B.C. recorded an unseasonably dry summer and warm fall.
Farms in the City of Delta and elsewhere could benefit from residuals from the treatment process that makes our drinking water safe. Metro Vancouver’s Water Committee at its Sept. 7 meeting received an update report on beneficial uses of drinking water treatment residuals, generated by the Seymour Capilano Filtration Plant consisting of sediments, naturally occurring organic matter and treatment chemicals.
The regional district won’t be assuming control of any more water systems for the next five years. The board agreed to extend the current moratorium on acquiring new systems until 2027. Although a Water Services Committee is almost in place to deal with water system issues in the RDCK, staff says it still makes sense to maintain the moratorium.
The key contractor on a billion-dollar wastewater plant in North Vancouver is firing back at Metro Vancouver after the regional district said it is scrapping the project’s contract. The district recently said contractor Acciona Canada appeared to have “abandoned” the project. On Friday, it said it had “no choice” but to terminate the deal, accusing contractor Acciona of having “failed to meet its contractual obligations, which include delivering the project on time and within budget, as required under the initial fixed-cost design-build-finance model.” On Sunday, Acciona responded, claiming Metro Vancouver owed it millions of dollars.
