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.
Members of the Cowichan Tribes First Nation on Vancouver Island are relieved to finally have drinkable water coming from their taps, though some members are still going without. Clean water is a necessity that many in Canada take for granted, but for 20 households on Indian Road in the First Nation on southern Vancouver Island, it's only recently become accessible.
B.C.’s River Forecast Centre is asking residents and business owners to start curtailing water use, as drought conditions intensify across the province. As of Friday, seven areas were at drought level 4, from southern Vancouver Island to the Kootenays. An additional nine areas, including the Lower and Middle Fraser, were at drought level 3. Local and regional governments make the formal rules around water usage, but the forecast centre manager George Roman said it would be prudent if people start altering their behaviour now.
