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

Swift Current, Sask., remains in state of emergency due to flooding from creek

Swift Current, Sask., remains in state of emergency due to flooding from creek

Swift Current, Sask., has been experiencing flooding over the last few days due to the spring melt, so much so that the city called an official state of emergency at 5 p.m. CST Tuesday night. As of 4 p.m. CST Wednesday, the city remained under that state of emergency, as water levels continued to be high. The city said the decision to declare the emergency was meant as a proactive measure, as there is the potential of increased spring water run-off. The city said the source of the flooding is the Swift Current Creek.

Design for a new water treatment system in Whitehorse delayed

Design for a new water treatment system in Whitehorse delayed

City councillors in Whitehorse say they want more information before moving ahead with designing a $39-million upgrade to the city's water treatment system. Councillors heard last week from city staff that the upgrade would add a new filtration system — needed because the city's groundwater quality has been changing. The design itself, which councillors voted Tuesday to delay, would cost about $2 million and be done by the end of 2025.

Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation takes mine remediation complaints to water board

Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation takes mine remediation complaints to water board

The Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation (LSCFN) claims that remediation work at an abandoned mine site in its traditional territory is only making things worse and so they are asking the Yukon Water Board to step in and change things. The subject of LSCFN’s complaint is the Mount Nansen mine site, a former gold and silver project located west of Carmacks that was heralded as an environmental disaster and an embarrassment to Canada, the Yukon and the mining firm involved when it was abandoned in 1999.

Fuel spill leads to serious health concerns for residents south of Quesnel

Fuel spill leads to serious health concerns for residents south of Quesnel

A major fuel spill is causing major concerns for residents just south of Quesnel city limits. According to the Lhtako Dene Nation 110,000 litres of fuel may have spilled underground from the Lhtako Gas and Convenience Store from December 2020 until June 2022 when the leak was discovered. The details of the spill only came public in early April 2023 after a news release was issued by the nation.

Swimming pools and lavish gardens of the rich are driving water shortages, study says

Swimming pools and lavish gardens of the rich are driving water shortages, study says

Swimming pools, flower gardens, indoor fountains — and the urbanites who can afford them — are big factors behind the increasingly dire water crises plaguing cities, an international research team says. Published in the journal Nature Sustainability, a new study found socioeconomic disparity to be just as influential as climate change and population growth when it comes to explaining why the water supply in so many cities is shrinking.

July 19th was your watering high, West Nipissing

July 19th was your watering high, West Nipissing

July 19th, 2022, was the high water mark for West Nipissing residents’ water usage. On that day, 6,764 cubic meters, which is about 7.7 million liters flowing at 8,034 liters per minute, was used. May, June and July are the months with the highest daily average of treated water use. For example, in July, 7,358 cubic meters is treated daily. In October, that number falls to 3,530 cubic meters.

A Man Died From 'Nasty' Flesh-Eating Bacteria & His Mom Says Pond Water Got Into A Cut

A Man Died From 'Nasty' Flesh-Eating Bacteria & His Mom Says Pond Water Got Into A Cut

A grieving mom is warning people about the dangers of wading into stagnant water, after, she says, her 41-year-old son contracted a deadly flesh-eating bacteria while chasing his dog into a stagnant pond. This article contains content that may be upsetting to some of our readers. California man Jeff Bova died recently from a bacterial infection he contracted three weeks earlier, his mother Susan McIntyre told NBC News. McIntyre says Bova followed his dog into a pond created by spring rainfall in March, and that the bacteria got into his body through a minor scratch on his arm.

Weekend rains bring helpful boost to Puntledge Water System, misses Campbell River

Weekend rains bring helpful boost to Puntledge Water System, misses Campbell River

Heavy rain over Saturday and Sunday brought a helpful boost to the Comox Valley’s water system as levels remain below normal. According to BC Hydro stakeholder engagement advisor Stephen Watson, the February to September water supply forecast has come down since their initial forecast of 96 per cent normal. This is because of the very dry February and March that saw about half normal rainfall, according to Environment Canada. However, last weekend’s rain did provide a nice boost to help bring levels back up a bit.

As spring temperatures rise, so do flood risks. Here’s how to prepare

As spring temperatures rise, so do flood risks. Here’s how to prepare

Flooding is becoming a greater hazard across Canada, according to experts, and poses a threat to more and more homeowners. Now, with temperatures rising and snowpacks melting, the risk of flooding can be high in certain areas. Most of southern B.C. is currently under high stream flow advisories amid wet weather that Global News chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell said could last the next couple of weeks, posing a potential flood risk.

Sask. spring melt a mix of headaches and joy as residents welcome the warm weather

Sask. spring melt a mix of headaches and joy as residents welcome the warm weather

Dare we say spring has finally come to Saskatchewan? It sure seems like it. After a weekend of warmer than usual weather, Tuesday brought even warmer temperatures across much of the province, meaning the snow and ice kept melting. The Water Security Agency (WSA) advised the public on Tuesday of the potential for ice jams on Swift Current Creek, the Moose Jaw River, the Qu'Appelle River and the Wood River after recent rapid melting and runoff.

Criminal negligence trial begins in sewage plant death of Fredericton teen

Criminal negligence trial begins in sewage plant death of Fredericton teen

A trial began in Burton on Tuesday for a man accused of criminal negligence in the 2018 drowning death of a Fredericton teen, during a construction project at Fredericton's main wastewater treatment plant. Jason King was a supervisor for Springhill Construction, which is also facing charges, when Michael Henderson, 18, died at a sewage treatment plant on Barker Street.

Spring brings rising water levels for some N.B. communities

Spring brings rising water levels for some N.B. communities

Water levels are beginning to rise in parts of New Brunswick, with two communities already under a water-level advisory and another one set to move to a watch by weekend, according to the province's River Watch website. An water-level advisory is two metres below flood stage, and a water-level watch is one metre below, according to the site.

Will your kids fight in the 'water wars'?

Will your kids fight in the 'water wars'?

In today’s Big Story podcast, a recent report found that by 2030 demand for water will outstrip the world’s supply by 40 per cent. In the United States, the Colorado River and other major sources of water are drying up. The number of droughts worldwide is skyrocketing. And Canada has a lot of water that other nations will someday soon not just want but badly need. Does this mean that wars over water are inevitable? Maybe not.

Heavy rain sets off high-water warnings for rivers in southern B.C.

Heavy rain sets off high-water warnings for rivers in southern B.C.

High streamflow advisories have been issued for two more regions as heavy rain sweeps over British Columbia’s southern Interior. B.C.’s River Forecast Centre added the advisories for the Similkameen and Okanagan regions after previously issuing bulletins for all of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and Metro Vancouver through to the Fraser Valley.

Medicine Hat will test drinking water for asbestos fibres

Medicine Hat will test drinking water for asbestos fibres

The city says it’s taking action to address concerns about what may be in our water supply. An investigative piece by CTV’s W5 last month shed light on how fibres from aging asbestos-cement pipes could be entering municipal water supplies. In response to the piece, the city posted an information page about asbestos and why municipalities currently don’t test for it in the water.

Manitoba eyes situation south of border as it prepares for forecast flooding

Manitoba eyes situation south of border as it prepares for forecast flooding

People in Winnipeg started stocking up on sandbags on Monday, on the first day the city made them available for those expecting or experiencing overland flooding. For Gino Mallari, it was the first time seeing the spring snow melt as the recent owner of a new house. "There is a big pool at our back lane and I'm worried that it's gonna get into the garage. So [I'm] hoping to, you know, prevent the water from coming into my backyard," Mallari said as he picked up some sandbags, adding that he's expecting that pool to get even bigger as the snow continues to melt.

Water main break disrupts water supply, traffic in Halifax

Water main break disrupts water supply, traffic in Halifax

A water main break in west-end Halifax disrupted water supply and traffic early Monday afternoon. Halifax Regional Police had asked drivers to avoid the Armdale Roundabout, where water was pooling, "making driving hazardous," the force said in a news release. Just before 4 p.m. AT, police said the roundabout had reopened to traffic. Halifax Water spokesperson Jeff Myrick said crews were working to repair the break, which occurred when a construction company hit a transmission main on Roosevelt Drive.

The feds announced $850M to protect fresh water. We ask Muskoka Watershed Council if it's enough

The feds announced $850M to protect fresh water. We ask Muskoka Watershed Council if it's enough

The recent federal budget pledged $650 million over 10 years to support monitoring, assessment and restoration work related to fresh water across the country, including the Great Lakes and Lake Simcoe. Also on the table was $22.6 million over three years to better support co-ordination of efforts to protect freshwater across Canada. There was also $85.1 million over five years for the creation of the Canada Water Agency.

Will the Sunshine Coast face another water crisis? Here are the factors at play

Will the Sunshine Coast face another water crisis? Here are the factors at play

Regional district staff detailed 2023 Chapman water system scenarios based on repeats of 2021 or 2022 weather conditions at an April 6 committee meeting. Both revealed Church Road well supply, to be added when Stage 2 restrictions come into force, should allow the time at Stage 3 restrictions (if called) to be extended, with less time at Stage 4 (if needed).

Winnipeg man left with $10K water bill in house he says hasn't had water in years

Winnipeg man left with $10K water bill in house he says hasn't had water in years

A Winnipeg man who is trying to get vacant homes fixed up and back on the market is running into a major roadblock. He’s received a $10,000 water bill, even though he says the building hasn’t had water in years. “I was shocked to see that $10,000, it was actually 11,000 and they told me they shall give me a breakdown of 1,000,” explained Mohamud Noor Mohamud. “Now it’s almost 10,000 water bill, plus the previous landlord’s bill, they sent for me, for 1,500.”

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