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.
Levels of chloride, arsenic and aluminum in some Halifax lakes are a concern, according to a newly published Dalhousie University study. The peer-reviewed study examined four decades of water quality data from 50 lakes. It says that concentrations of aluminum in 29 per cent of the lakes, chloride in 20 per cent of the lakes and arsenic in one lake exceeded Canadian aquatic life protection guidelines.
Jenifer Redsky and her sisters run Oceah Oceah — a First Nations paddling company with a mission to connect people “with and to water” in Tkaronto (Toronto). “As an Indigenous woman, we’ve always been taught that we have a special connection to the water,” said Redsky. “My sisters and I really believe that by doing the work that we do, by giving people lessons, teaching them the skills, bringing them down to the water, we’re increasing people’s connection to the water, their relationship to the water, how they treat the water and how they protect it alongside us.”
Summer has arrived in the Southern Interior, and those who look after our water are trying to keep unwanted guests out of the region. As tourists and locals alike head to area lakes, the Okanagan Basin Water Board and Okanagan-Similkameen Invasive Species Society remind boaters to clean, drain and dry their watercraft before putting them in local lakes. Anyone bringing any type of watercraft into the province, including kayaks and paddleboards, is reminded to stop at all mussel inspection stations along the way. For 11 years, the Don’t Move a Mussel campaign has been raising awareness of the potential impacts of invasive zebra and quagga mussels. To date, there have been no reported introductions of live zebra or quagga mussels into B.C. lakes. But, once introduced to a water body, invasive mussels can rapidly multiply and form dense colonies, leading to significant ecological and economic consequences.
Two advisories, one for blue-green algae and another for fecal bacteria levels, have now been issued for the waters of Lac La Biche lake in the days leading up to the Canada Day weekend. Alberta Health Services (AHS) officials issued a blue-green algae advisory on Thursday, warning that areas of the lake were affected by an outbreak of the naturally-occurring bacteria that can appear on the surface as a green, blue, pink or brown-tinged "scum" or "glob". Human contact with blue-green algae can cause irritation to skin and the eyes. It can also cause nausea and diarrhea. The symptoms are more prominent in children, and can appear within a few hours of water contact. Ingestion of water with the bacteria can be fatal to pets.
Multiple vignettes flow through the mural connected by an undulating blue wave of water that crashes and rolls from one end of the wall to the other. The piece, a collaborative brainchild of Laporte and FEDCO, was fittingly given the working title "Water is Crucial to Life." It was renamed "Beyond the Current" at the conclusion of the work. "This mural was based around the concept of water being crucial to life. All life," Laporte said. "This project emphasizes the abundance of water that makes up our world, while reflecting the strong community ties in Monroe, as well as the importance of sustainability and the providing of fresh drinking water on a global scale."
With Canada Day on the way, expect changes to your lawn sprinkling as the Comox Valley Water System is moving to Stage 2 restrictions. The change comes as a response to current drought conditions, high demand for water, and strain on the regional water infrastructure. They apply to Courtenay, Comox, and the Comox Valley Water Local service area. Senior manager of Water and Wastewater Services Kris La Rose says the past couple of weeks have seen a near record use of water from the community.
A second rural municipality in Alberta has declared an agricultural disaster because of drought this spring as beef producers head into summer, a period typically of less rain. “We haven’t seen the total effects of the drought,” said Stan Schulmeister, reeve of the County of Paintearth east of Red Deer. “But the agricultural producer that’s strictly dealing with livestock is going to find it very difficult to find feed this year because it’s almost province-wide, the damage to the hay crop and so on.”
Thames Water may have to be taken over by the government if it runs out of money. But why is the UK's largest water company facing a crisis - and are other firms facing similar problems? When the company was privatised in 1989, it had no debt. But over the years it borrowed heavily and is currently £14bn in debt.
The bulletin says it's not known exactly where the heaviest rainfall will happen, but that Wrigley and the South Nahanni River Basin "could see very significant rainfall." The South Nahanni River may also see a quick rise and possibly affect residents in Nahanni Butte. "It is always important for individuals to be ready for emergencies. That means having an emergency plan for you and your household, having an emergency kit ready to go, staying up-to-date with the latest information from your community, and following instructions from local officials should the time come," reads the bulletin.
Edmonton resident Jill Hunter was surprised to find visible blooms of blue-green algae along the shore when she arrived at Astotin Lake in Elk Island National Park on Wednesday. "This seems really early," Hunter said, after canoeing at the popular swimming and recreation area 60 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. Rolf Vinebrooke, a professor of fresh water ecology at the University of Alberta, agrees.
"It concerns us. The water, the land, the medicine on it will be destroyed. The caribou that are roaming in that area and all the mushrooms and wild rice there. All of it would be contaminated," said Elder Eileen Linklater, one of the eight grandmothers who organized the protest. "Mines usually have spills. Yes, they build reservoirs, but they overflow and it would go into water streams. Also, they will release a lot of gasses into the air." Asked to comment on the concerns being expressed by the protesters, Foran said some of the information the concerns are based on is "misleading and untrue."
Outdoor watering restrictions have been put in place for Mabel Lake Water customers. The Regional District of North Okanagan says it is concerned about water system capacity for the Thursday to Monday period as tourists and locals flock to vacation properties on the North Okanagan lake. The RDNO says it's putting the watering restriction in place to ensure water availability for essential use. “Historical water usage on the July long weekend is high, and the water system has had issues in the past keeping up to demand,” the RDNO says. “Customers must take action to reduce the risk that the reservoirs become depleted, resulting in loss of water to customers, and/or compromised water quality.”
The province’s Environment and Climate Change Department says 16 lakes have been identified as having toxic blue-green algae so far this year, with all reports coming in June. At the same point last year only eight lakes had been identified as having a bloom of the algae. Elizabeth Kennedy, the director of the water branch for the department, said that while there may be more instances this year because of hot and dry weather in May and June, the department has also been pushing its awareness campaign so more people could be reporting sightings.
Sandpoint Beach and Belle River Beach are closed as both sampled E.coli levels of 1000. While swimming is not recommended at Colchester Beach, Holiday Beach, Point Pelee North West Beach, and Seacliff Beach due to E. coli levels above 200. Cedar Beach and Cedar Island Beach remain open and are safe for swimming. The health unit conducts beach water quality monitoring at eight public beaches at least once a week to ensure the bacterial counts in the water are below provincial standards.
The federal government says some new cruise ship pollution measures are now mandatory, but environmental groups say the move still doesn't plug gaps that permit the ongoing contamination of some of Canada's most sensitive coastlines. Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra announced Friday that voluntary measures established last April on the discharge and treatment guidelines for sewage (black water) and grey water - which includes kitchen water, laundry detergent, cleaning products, food waste, cooking oils and grease as well as hazardous carcinogens and other pollutants - will be mandatory immediately under an interim order.
In July, 2022, an SHA notice posted on the resort village’s Facebook page warned people to avoid swimming or skiing and to keep children and pets away from the water. The village later levels of toxic blue-green algae were 600 times higher than recommended for public recreation. This year, it’s a different story. “We don’t have any issues in terms of blue-green algae and E. coli,” said Mattick. “So it’s good for swimming or whatever you want to do.”
The project will include the construction of a raw-water line to treat groundwater in Osoyoos, which is not currently treated and is high in manganese. The province said these upgrades will allow the water to be properly disinfected with chlorine and ultraviolet systems. The upgrades are expected to meet the Guidelines of Canadian Drinking Water Quality and Interior Health’s drinking water standards.
The Corporation was awarded two First Nations projects in Northern Alberta, Canada. The first contract involves a drinking water rental system to provide water for the community of Garden River while the full-scale drinking water project is being completed. The other project is for an emergency expansion of the John D’Or drinking water plant to accommodate the needs of communities that have been displaced by the recent wildfires. “It is essential that our Indigenous communities have access to reliable drinking water and wastewater treatment equipment. Our service team has prioritized the rapid deployment in support of Indigenous Services Canada and the local communities,” stated Frédéric Dugré, President, Chief Executive Officer and co-Founder of H2O Innovation. This project has already commenced and is expected to be completed in July 2023.
Changes to the flow of the Labrador Current along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador to Nova Scotia are leading to sudden warmings or drops in the oxygen levels of the waters in several regions including the St. Lawrence Gulf and Estuary. This change has dire consequences for marine ecosystems and fisheries. To better predict what could happen in the future, researchers set out to answer the question: what controls the pathway of the Labrador Current?
