A new course at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., is offering students an opportunity to immerse themselves in Lake Ontario, both figuratively and literally. "A lot of Queen's students come to Kingston, spend four years here, and they really don't know anything about the lake," said David McDonald, a professor in the university's department of global development studies. He created the course in part to raise awareness among students about the long history of community effort that has contributed to creating the public space along the city's waterfront.
20 N.S. houses to receive free flood-proofing upgrades in pilot project
Residents of New Glasgow, N.S., can now apply for free home assessments and upgrades to protect against overland flooding, through a new project by Clean Foundation. The Dartmouth-based environmental charity is partnering with Nova Scotia's Department of Environment and Climate Change, the Town of New Glasgow and the Halifax Regional Municipality to kick start the resilient home retrofit pilot project. In May, the province spent $400,000 on this initiative.
Water treatment plant damages to cost millions
How Montreal hopes to better manage its rainwater with parks that act as sponges
A light rain has fallen and the pavement around Dickie Moore Park on Beaumont Avenue in Montreal is still wet Friday morning, but three small groups of toddlers wearing bright orange bibs have ambled down the road into the park and onto its wooden play structures. "When it rains, we usually come here with the kids because the wood chips absorb the water," says Valbona Shkambi, a daycare educator.
Gatorade to Release Unflavored Water in Early 2024 — with Bottles Made of 100 Percent Recycled Plastic
The product, set to be known as "Gatorade Water," will be "purified with a seven-step, enhanced filtration process," the company said. Gatorade is unveiling an upcoming drink option. Earlier this week, the beverage company announced that it will be releasing an unflavored water product, set to be known as "Gatorade Water," in early 2024. Described as being "electrolyte infused for a refreshing and crisp taste," Gatorade Water will be "purified with a seven-step, enhanced filtration process," and will "contain 65mg to 90mg of sodium (electrolytes) per bottle, with zero calories, carbohydrates, or protein," per the company.
B.C. trailer park has been waiting over 3 years for manganese levels in water to be made safe, resident says
A trailer park resident in northeast B.C. says her landlord and the regional health authority have failed to address high levels of manganese in the water supply for more than three years — and the problem still hasn't been fixed. Cassandra Ross says she didn't even learn of the issues with the drinking water at Shady Acres Mobile Home Park until a boil water advisory was put in place for high bacteria levels more than two years after the manganese issue was found.
As drought continues, new restrictions and an experiment in one Vancouver Island region
Nearly two months after drought Level 5 was declared on Vancouver Island, steps are underway in the Comox Valley to conserve water and aid returning salmon. Drought Level 5, declared when "adverse impacts to socio-economic or ecosystem values are almost certain," is the highest level on British Columbia's drought scale.
Sunshine Coast imposes most severe water restrictions on 20,000 residents due to persistent drought
Prolonged and intense drought conditions are forcing the Sunshine Coast's largest water system to impose its highest-level restrictions on water use starting Friday. Stage 4 water restrictions will prohibit outdoor use of drinking water for more than 20,000 residents in communities including Sechelt, Roberts Creek and Halfmoon Bay until further notice.
B.C. groundwater licensing delays abound, 7 years after requirement was introduced
In July, three years after Cowichan Valley farmer Katy Ehrlich applied to get her farm's well licensed, provincial officials visited her farm. "They had an order with them that said that we had to stop diverting groundwater for commercial purposes. And we were like shocked," said Ehrlich, who had thought everything was fine with her application for a non-domestic groundwater licence, a requirement under the B.C. Water Sustainability Act (WSA).
West Kootenay residents concerned about low water levels in Arrow Lakes
Some residents of B.C.'s West Kootenay region say they're worried about water levels in the Arrow Lakes amid a historic drought and high temperatures that triggered an early snowpack melt. They're calling on B.C. Hydro, which uses the Arrow Lakes as a reservoir to generate power, to do more to preserve valuable salmon habitats and recreation spots.
New doc to premiere at TIFF shines spotlight on clean water inequities faced by First Nations
The struggle faced by First Nation communities to access clean, potable water is highlighted in a film that will have its world premiere Sept. 15 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Boil Alert is a documentary focused on activist Layla Staats from Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario. Staats visits Indigenous communities in both Canada and the United States that have boil water advisories.
Why Vancouver is embracing brown lawns
Vancouver is well known for its rainy climate but parched lawns are now a common sight in its sprawling suburbs and city parks. New restrictions on watering began early this summer and - unlike elsewhere - most residents are happy to comply. The grass in front of Sky Morfopoulos' home in East Vancouver is barely grass at all. Although the strands are brown and parched, tiny sprinkles of weeds and clovers blend in with the fading grass and present an illusion of a semi-green lawn.
Regina water advocate says city not taking lead pipe replacement seriously enough
Regina's executive committee has voted to receive updates on the city's efforts to remove lead water connections every two years rather than annually. The decision was a compromise between some councillors that wanted to continue receiving yearly updates and others who say receiving the reports on annual basis is an inefficient use of council's time.
Norway-based OSO Hotwater Group opens first Canadian office in Saint John, N.B.
OSO Hotwater Group, a Norwegian company known for its smart stainless steel hot water tanks, is now operating in Canada with the launch of OSO Hotwater Inc. in New Brunswick. CEO Roy A. Magnussen said the company is responding to the need for better water heating tech in Canada, especially for energy-saving and sustainable purposes.
P.E.I. salmon streams get boost from new watershed project
A watershed group on P.E.I. hopes it will be smoother swimming for salmon returning to spawn this fall, thanks to a new pilot project run in partnership with the Canadian Wildlife and the Atlantic Salmon federations. The Souris and Area Branch of the P.E.I. Wildlife Federation is leading the project, which builds on work that's already been done in Western Canada while adapting it to the unique conditions in the province.
Regina lead pipe replacement timeline still set for 2036 despite pushback
The problem of lead in Regina’s drinking water has been a discussion point for many years at city hall and in the community. An investigation led by Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism, published in 2019, found that tap water in Regina, Moose Jaw and Saskatoon had some of the highest measured levels of lead in Canada.
Surrey to remove derelict boats on Nicomekl River
Surrey city staff will begin removing derelict boats on the Nicomekl River in South Surrey, with help from Transport Canada. Derelict boats have been illegally mooring on a narrow section of the river and have been dumping raw sewage and garbage into the water, according to a city news release Wednesday. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says the river has many spots where boats can legally drop anchor, so there is no reason for any boater to illegally moor their vessel.
Inspired by insects, scientists pull water from thin air
Water scarcity is a pressing global challenge, and researchers at the University of Waterloo are turning to insects for inspiration to address the problem. A research team at the university has developed technology inspired by spiderwebs and Namib desert beetles, both of which capture moisture from the air and convert it to fresh water. The research is led by Prof. Michael Tam, University Research Chair in the chemical engineering department, and two students, Eva Wang and Weinan Zhao. The team aims to use the techniques perfected by insects and upscale them to deliver larger volumes of water for society.
Drinking water, aquatic life at risk due to B.C.’s fire-ravaged summer: experts
Experts say the extent to which wildfires have burned across the province this year will have serious implications for the quality of B.C.’s watersheds and the ecosystems that rely on them. John Richardson, a Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences professor at the University of British Columbia, says with so many hillsides scorched by wildfires this year, there’s nothing to prevent incoming rain from creating a “debris torrent” — something which spells bad news for the province’s drinking water.
Customer tells of 'smoke and mirror' tactics used by water treatment sales company
Prince Edward Islanders are speaking out about their experiences with a Nova Scotia-based water treatment sales company that has had its licence to operate on P.E.I. stripped by the provincial government. Kim Lyon said she received a call about water quality just before Christmas 2022. The following spring, she was contacted and told that she had "won a prize" and that someone would be by to drop it off.