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

utility

Promised Manitoba Hydro rate freeze might be delayed as deficit at utility looms: minister

Promised Manitoba Hydro rate freeze might be delayed as deficit at utility looms: minister

Manitoba's new NDP government might push back a promise to freeze hydroelectric rates for one year. New numbers from Crown-owned Manitoba Hydro show the utility is now expecting a net loss this year instead of the profit it predicted in the spring. The utility blames, in part, dry summer conditions and lower levels of power-generating water. Finance Minister Adrien Sala says the government still intends to temporarily freeze hydroelectric rates, but it might happen later than had been promised during the election campaign.

Untreated wastewater diverted from entering the Northwest Arm

Untreated wastewater diverted from entering the Northwest Arm

Halifax Water says it has diverted untreated and unscreened sewage from entering the Northwest Arm, but it's still advising people to not swim or participate in activities that require contact with the water. In an update after 6 p.m., the water utility said the water is now being treated but that repair work is still underway.

Extra $1.3M needed for Three Rivers water expansion

Extra $1.3M needed for Three Rivers water expansion

The cost to expand the water and sewer system in the eastern P.E.I. community of Three Rivers is coming in about 30 per cent more expensive than first budgeted. Quotes for the project came in higher than anticipated, said Dorothy Macdonald, interim CEO for the town's services. Despite the unexpected expense, she said the town is ready to get started. "The project is a priority for the town's rivers and currently we have in-hand the ability to work toward 70 per cent of the project," she said. "We're also going to work very hard in the next little while to get that extra 30 per cent, so that we are finishing this project to 100 per cent capacity by the end of next summer."The town originally projected a $4.7 million cost for the project, which will extend the current water and sewage system about 2.5 kilometres from the old border of Montague, into the old community of Brudenell and up to MacDonald Road. It is now looking at closer to $6 million. The 80 new customers who will be using the new expansion will cover most of the extra cost. It was important to her to ensure current customers using the utility did not completely cover the cost of the program, Macdonald said.

Halifax Water says supply remains safe, as wildfire burns near facility

Halifax Water says supply remains safe, as wildfire burns near facility

Halifax Water says its water supply remains safe as a wildfire burns just a few kilometres away from one of its large watersheds. The utility operates a pumping station and water treatment facility at Pockwock Lake, which supplies water to the Lower Sackville, Bedford and Halifax areas. That facility sits just northwest of where the fire is burning, and is located inside an emergency zone. "We are checking water samples, including additional water samples, to make sure the quality of the water stays consistently safe," Jeff Myrick, the utility's communications manager, told CBC Radio's Mainstreet Nova Scotia on Wednesday.

Lead-reducing chemicals now flowing in Edmonton’s water: Epcor

Lead-reducing chemicals now flowing in Edmonton’s water: Epcor

Epcor began adding orthophosphate at its two local water treatment plants last week, two years later than initially planned, the utility confirmed with Postmedia. This treatment will create protective coatings inside pipes to prevent lead from leaching into drinking water, both for Epcor’s pipes and those of private property owners, in hopes of making sure lead concentration in water citywide meets Health Canada’s standards. It’s expected to take up to six months to take full effect.

Report finds leaks in Halifax Water cybersecurity systems

Report finds leaks in Halifax Water cybersecurity systems

An audit of Halifax Water by the Halifax Regional Municipality's auditor general has found deficiencies in the utility's cybersecurity, including employees clicking links in emails. As part of the audit, an email purporting to be from a legitimate source with a link, known as a phishing email, was sent to 55 employees of the utility to test their awareness of security protocols. According to the report, 45 employees clicked a link in the email and provided their credentials. Three others clicked the link but did not submit their credentials. Auditor General Evangeline Colman-Sadd's audit looked at supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems and made 21 recommendations for improving security. 

Emergency water repair in Halifax: Halifax Water

Emergency water repair in Halifax: Halifax Water

Halifax Water crews are working to repair a water main on Kaye and Sackville streets in Halifax. Water service will temporarily close the road between Belleshire drive but sidewalks will remain open. The utility says motorists should expect delays and use alternate routes. Halifax Water says customers in the area may experience discoloured water during, and or, after the repair. It is recommended that those customers run the cold water until the water runs clear.

Halifax wastewater operations return to normal after repeated pump failures

Halifax wastewater operations return to normal after repeated pump failures

Halifax Water says emergency repairs have been completed on a Duffus Street wastewater pump station in Halifax. In a release Thursday, the utility says operations have returned to normal after three pump failures in two months. The pump started operating Wednesday evening and was monitored overnight. Wastewater and stormwater are now being pumped from the Duffus Street station to a wastewater treatment facility on Upper Water Street rather than flowing into Halifax harbour.

Untreated wastewater no longer being released into harbour, says Halifax Water

Untreated wastewater no longer being released into harbour, says Halifax Water

Untreated wastewater and stormwater are no longer flowing untreated into Halifax harbour three days after a pump failed at Halifax Water's Duffus Street pump station. The pump began operating again at 4 p.m. Friday and was monitored overnight, Halifax Water said in a media release Saturday. Wastewater and stormwater are now being pumped from the station to the wastewater treatment facility on Upper Water Street.

Halifax Water wants you to flush less if you live here

Halifax Water wants you to flush less if you live here

Halifax Water is asking people in certain parts of the municipality to flush less often as repairs are underway to a pump that's causing wastewater to flow into Halifax harbour. A map provided by the utility Wednesday afternoon highlights the Larry Uteck area, Park West, Clayton Park, Fairview, parts of the west end and parts of north-end Halifax. "This will help minimize the amount of wastewater released into the environment," the utility stated in a news release.

Halifax Water says no swimming in harbour after wastewater pump fails Social Sharing

Halifax Water says no swimming in harbour after wastewater pump fails Social Sharing

Halifax Water is advising people not to swim or to do anything that requires contacting the water in Halifax harbour until further notice. On Tuesday, the utility said the failure of an emergency pump is the cause of stormwater and wastewater flowing into the harbour. "We would strongly advise residents to not go swimming or participate in any recreational activities that require water contact ... just to be on the safe side," said Jeff Myrick, a spokesperson for Halifax Water.

Yukon Energy gets OK to drop water levels at Marsh Lake another 10 cm

Yukon Energy gets OK to drop water levels at Marsh Lake another 10 cm

In an effort to help prevent flooding in the Southern Lakes area, Yukon Energy was given the green light to lower the level of Marsh Lake by an additional 10 centimetres. The Yukon Water Board granted the utility permission to lower the levels last week. Marsh Lake, a 30-kilometre long glacier-fed lake, is the northernmost of several lakes that make up the Southern Lakes district.

N.B. Power leaping into new ventures to tackle debt

N.B. Power leaping into new ventures to tackle debt

"Given the track record of N.B. Power with things like the whole effort in Florida to look at trying to generate power out of seawater, they shouldn't be going anywhere near creating other subsidiaries," said Green Party leader David Coon. Liberal MLA and energy critic René Legacy says the only examples of potential new N.B. Power business ventures Holland has spoken about are industrial light and the renting of water heaters, something the utility does now. "Well, you're not going to fix N.B. Power's debt with water heater rentals," he said. "That's not realistic."

Manitoba Hydro electricity rates going up 3.6% starting in new year

Manitoba Hydro electricity rates going up 3.6% starting in new year

Manitoba Hydro's wish for a five per cent electricity rate increase did not come true this year. The Public Utilities Board, which oversees utilities, approved a 3.6 per cent interim rate increase beginning Jan. 1, 2022. The increase expires Nov. 15, 2022, barring a subsequent successful rate hike application by Manitoba Hydro. "This increase recognizes the financial consequences of the drought experienced in Manitoba in 2021 and the board's objective to avoid rate shock by smoothing the rate increases to customers required to address the costs of major capital projects entering service," the board wrote in a press release.

'This was our utility': Alectra will stop handling Hamilton water bills

'This was our utility': Alectra will stop handling Hamilton water bills

Hamilton city councillors say Alectra Utilities has blindsided them after the massive utility says it's too busy to continue delivering local water bills. The utility, which formed in 2017 when Horizon Utilities merged with four others, says it has too large an area to cover and too much to do to keep handling water billing, city staff said last week. So, even though Hamilton will pay Alectra $5.6 million this year to deliver water bills, Alectra says it can't do it after the contract expires in December 2024.

Sinkhole on busy Halifax street caused by water main break, says utility

Sinkhole on busy Halifax street caused by water main break, says utility

Water was shut off Monday for dozens of customers in Halifax after a water main burst and a sinkhole developed on a street lined with homes and businesses. Halifax Water said it was made aware of a potential water main issue around 5:30 a.m. AT on Agricola Street, a busy thoroughfare that connects north-end and central Halifax. The street was closed between Sarah and Woodill streets while crews responded, and water service was shut down between West and Cunard streets, affecting about 51 civic addresses.

Water project a first in Canada

Water project a first in Canada

The first Indigenous owned and operated water utility in Canada developed by way of public-private-community partnership is a step closer to reality in the North Okanagan. A formal agreement has been signed between the Okanagan Indian Band Group of Companies, EPCOR and Enterprise Canada. The companies will identify commercial opportunities in utilities-related infrastructure, including water, wastewater and irrigation management, to provide quality drinking water and ensure adequate firefighting supply to serve the OKIB reserve lands.

Ground-breaking First Nations Water Authority takes first steps in Atlantic region

Ground-breaking First Nations Water Authority takes first steps in Atlantic region

The Atlantic First Nations Water Authority has taken its first steps with the appointment of a First Nations board of directors from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Follow us