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Alberta

Why Calgary's drinking water is tasting icky

Why Calgary's drinking water is tasting icky

You may wonder why your water is suddenly tasting mouldy. This unpleasant taste may follow you into the shower, your workplace, gym or college campus. You may have also been losing sleep over thoughts of contaminated water affecting your health. But the reality is nowhere near as dangerous as it seems. City officials say the cause of your worry is geosmin, a “harmless” naturally occurring carbon compound that usually makes its way into Calgary’s reservoirs in late summer or fall.

Monitoring Alberta's wastewater could help drug users avoid harm. Here's how.

Monitoring Alberta's wastewater could help drug users avoid harm. Here's how.

A Calgary research facility that developed the most comprehensive wastewater monitoring program in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic is setting its sights on another burgeoning public health issue: illicit drug use. Advancing Canada Water Assets (ACWA), a joint initiative between the City of Calgary and the University of Calgary, is applying the same techniques it used to monitor COVID-19 case numbers to track illicit drugs in the province's wastewater.

What a circular water system could mean for Alberta

What a circular water system could mean for Alberta

A University of Alberta researcher is receiving $1.4 million over seven years to support the creation of a circular water system. "Eventually we're going to have to be very careful with our water," Mohamed Gamal El-Din told CBC's Radio Active, after being named Canada Research Chair in sustainable and resilient wastewater treatment for reuse. He is one of 12 scholars at the U of A receiving the academic honour to advance their work for a greener future.

Here are some of the biggest E. coli O157 outbreaks in Canada

Here are some of the biggest E. coli O157 outbreaks in Canada

An outbreak of E. coli infections at several Calgary daycares has infected more than 260 people, most of them children. It's not the first major outbreak of the food-borne illness, which is caused by bacteria that live in the feces of animals and is carried to humans through undercooked meat, unpasteurized food or contaminated water. The E. coli variant known as 0157 is often the most virulent and can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, which affects the kidneys and the ability of blood to clot.

Alberta scientists tracking blue-green algae blooms using satellite imagery

Alberta scientists tracking blue-green algae blooms using satellite imagery

A team of experts is working to better understand the spread of blue-green algae in Alberta lakes by combining satellite technology with near-simultaneous water sampling. The project, funded through Alberta Innovates, is a collaboration between several groups, including Alberta Lake Management Society (ALMS), the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), and researcher Rolf Vinebrooke from the University of Alberta.

Epcor tackles flooding mitigation as climate change challenges Edmonton's water supply

Epcor tackles flooding mitigation as climate change challenges Edmonton's water supply

Edmonton's utility company, Epcor, plans to start building a concrete wall and berms around parts of its water treatment plants at Rossdale and E.L. Smith — both in the North Saskatchewan River floodplain — to help protect the region's water supply. Construction on the flood mitigation project is slated to start next year with a budget of $65 million, with about $22 million coming from the federal and provincial governments.

City of Calgary reduces water use amid drought conditions

City of Calgary reduces water use amid drought conditions

The City of Calgary says it has moved its drought monitoring dial to dry from normal. It says the decision is based on tracking of precipitation levels, reservoirs and lake levels, stream flow rates in the rivers and water demand.  "Despite the moments of intense rainfall through July, our monitoring team continues to see impacts of this year's dry conditions across Calgary and the region," Sarah Marshall, the city's water resources planner, said in a statement.

Coal built Grande Cache, Alta. But plans for a new mine don't sit well with some residents

Coal built Grande Cache, Alta. But plans for a new mine don't sit well with some residents

In Grande Cache, at a packed open house about the proposed mine held in July, questions about its environmental impact are top of mind for many in attendance. Maxim Power, the company pitching the new project, says that the mine will be underground, meaning local water will be more protected than in a surface mine.

Low river levels in Calgary spark concerns

Low river levels in Calgary spark concerns

Despite recent rainfall over Calgary, conditions are still drier than usual, leading to concerns over low water flows in the region. "The flows in both the Bow and Elbow Rivers continue to be well below normal for this time of year due to the low snowpacks and early snowmelt in the Bow and Elbow River Basins, as well as ongoing dry conditions," the City of Calgary said in a statement Friday. "Reservoirs upstream of Calgary are currently filling and the Glenmore Reservoir is being held at full supply level to proactively manage water supply in anticipation of a hot, dry summer."

Edmonton removed two water fountains because of complaints by police and library staff

Edmonton removed two water fountains because of complaints by police and library staff

City officials ordered two Downtown public water fountains be disconnected ahead of a heat wave last weekend because of complaints from the police and library staff, shedding light on how Edmonton navigates conflicts around impoverished people’s basic needs and demands by others to tackle social disorder and safety concerns. Epcor cut off the water supply from the fire hydrants at the city’s request last Thursday. The weekend after the bottle filling stations at 96 Street near Bissell Centre West and 100 Street outside Stanley A. Milner Library were removed, temperatures were so hot Environment Canada warned the public to take precautions because of the heat.

Receding water levels a concern for Gull Lake, Alta.

Receding water levels a concern for Gull Lake, Alta.

Residents of Gull Lake, Alta., are concerned about drastically receding water levels and are trying to come up with creative solutions to refill the popular lake. Keith Nesbitt has lived in Gull Lake since 2007 but has been coming to the lake recreationally since the ’80s. As a director with the lake’s watershed society, he’s concerned about how much the water levels have dropped this year. “You can look at the beach here and you can see what’s happened to it. The boats are out even further. It’s getting critical, we have to do something with the lake,” he said.

'Heartless': Edmonton's removal of two public water fountains during heat wave harmful, says advocate

'Heartless': Edmonton's removal of two public water fountains during heat wave harmful, says advocate

Two recently-installed public water stations Downtown have been quietly and suddenly disconnected, a move one advocate called a “heartless” decision by the city amid temperatures so hot it prompted a heat warning in Edmonton this past weekend. The City of Edmonton in May announced plans to install up to 20 temporary bottle-filling stations attached to fire hydrants this summer so the public can have access to safe drinking water and avoid dehydration. There were 17 locations with six in or around Downtown as of mid-June. Postmedia visited the six stations previously announced in the city’s core and found two disconnected by Monday — the station next to Bissell Centre West at 96 Street and 105A Avenue, and outside Stanley A. Milner Library at 100 Street and 102 Avenue. Four other stations in the core were still working.

Cattle struggles deepen in Alberta

Cattle struggles deepen in Alberta

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.”

After the flood: Alberta communities assessing damage as water levels recede

After the flood: Alberta communities assessing damage as water levels recede

West-central Alberta communities are assessing damage and making repairs as flood waters recede. In the town of Edson, 100 kilometres west of Edmonton, a state of local emergency ended Monday after a tumultuous two weeks of fire and flood.

"Anticipate challenging conditions": Jasper warns visitors after 70 cm of snow

"Anticipate challenging conditions": Jasper warns visitors after 70 cm of snow

On Monday, the park received up to 100 mm of precipitation in some areas, falling as both snow and rain. The high-elevation areas, such as the Skyline trail, received an estimated snow accumulation of up to 70 cm, while lower elevations experienced lesser amounts. The heavy snowfall resulted in widespread tree damage, making travel conditions on trails challenging and, in some cases, impassable, with Parks Canada having to rescue dozens of people who were left stranded in some areas.

Water flow in Alberta is 'exceptionally low' this year and could pose challenges for fish

Water flow in Alberta is 'exceptionally low' this year and could pose challenges for fish

Lorne Fitch, a longtime fisheries biologist and former adjunct professor at the University of Calgary, is often checking out the headwaters of the Oldman River. "It's been an interesting view of a year that doesn't seem to follow anything that resembles a normal pattern," Fitch said. In Alberta, June typically brings high levels of rain, which hasn't been the case this year. Snowpacks also disappeared, on average, about a month earlier than they would have in a normal year, according to Paul Christensen, a senior fisheries biologist with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas.

Evacuation orders issued for two regions in Woodlands County, Alta., due to flash flooding

Evacuation orders issued for two regions in Woodlands County, Alta., due to flash flooding

Flash flooding evacuation orders are in effect for two regions in Woodlands County, Alta., about 180 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, due to rising waters on the Athabasca River which is causing overland flooding. The order is in effect for residents in the Township Road 620A area along the Athabasca River, east of the hamlet of Fort Assiniboine and for the Flats Road area along the river. The orders came into effect Wednesday evening and require all residents to evacuate the area immediately. Rising waters are causing flooding and washing out roads and people have been advised to drive with caution and avoid impacted roads.

It's been 10 years since the Big Flood. How the changing climate is shaping life in Calgary

It's been 10 years since the Big Flood. How the changing climate is shaping life in Calgary

In the decade since the Big Flood of 2013, Calgary has seen a number of extreme weather events and scorching, smoky summer days. Four Calgary disasters are included in the Insurance Bureau of Canada's Top 10 list of costliest years for insured losses in Canada — three since the flood, the fourth occurring the year before. The past decade has seen a surprise September snowfall in 2014, a devastating hailstorm in 2020 that resulted in $1.2 billion in damages, and a sweltering and deadly heat dome in the summer of 2021. A number of "catastrophic" weather events have been recorded in almost every year since June 2013, resulting in billions of dollars in damages. 

Hot and dry summer could affect Calgary's water levels

Hot and dry summer could affect Calgary's water levels

The beginning of June in Calgary has been hot and dry, and that could have an affect on the city’s water supply through summer. Environment Canada and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says Calgary has come into the summer season with dryer than normal conditions — spring 2023 ended as the fifth driest spring on record.

City of Brooks asking residents to cut down on water usage

City of Brooks asking residents to cut down on water usage

A water shortage has caused the City of Brooks and surrounding area to be put under water rationing. The Eastern Irrigation District (EID) has reported a significant drop in river levels, six to eight weeks earlier than usual due to low snowpack and early snowmelt in the region. In turn, the EID has initiated Stage 3 of their Drought Plan, limiting water usage to two-thirds of normal for residents and businesses in Brooks.

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