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.
P.E.I. will start offering free well-water testing beginning Jan. 1. Legislation requiring the province offer free testing was introduced during the fall sitting of the legislature by Liberal MLA Hal Perry. The bill technically came into effect when it received royal assent on Nov. 17. Under the legislation, Island wells can be tested once every two years at no charge for water chemistry, and once every six months for E. coli and coliform.
A Liberal opposition bill to eliminate well-water testing fees on P.E.I. passed its third reading in the legislature Nov. 4 and could come into effect early next year. Liberal MLA Hal Perry, who introduced the bill, first started working on it in early 2020. "It's about safe drinking water for Islanders who live in rural communities," said Perry.
