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.
Some Charlottetown businesses say they didn't get enough warning their water would be shut off for much of the day Tuesday. On Monday, the city issued a notice saying the Water and Sewer Utility would be conducting repairs to a leaking water valve near Grafton and Rochford streets. The notice stated customers in the area would be without water from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. AT on Tuesday. The outage was later extended to 5:30 p.m.
Seasonal water restrictions are in place until Sept. 30 in Charlottetown. The mandatory restrictions allow for outdoor watering only in the early morning from 5-10 a.m. or in the evening between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m., to a maximum of two hours per day. Hosing off driveways and other hard surfaces is also prohibited while the restrictions are in effect. Restrictions are required to ensure usage does not exceed the city’s capacity to supply water.
Charlottetown is one of many towns, districts and municipalities in Canada where drinking water is still flowing through asbestos cement pipes, an investigative report by a national broadcaster has found. W5 said it checked with more than 100 towns, districts and municipalities in the country and 90 per cent of them do have asbestos pipes. The pipes were installed decades ago, and all are nearing end-of-life but are still delivering tap water.
The Charlottetown water and sewer utility is starting its four-to-six-week spring maintenance beginning April 11. The program includes checks and biannual hydrant flushing. The hydrant flushing is done to keep water quality high and ensure the city has safe and clean drinking water. During flushing, hydrants will be operated at full capacity for around three to five minutes each until the water runs clear.
The City of Charlottetown is offering financial help to residents looking to protect their homes from flooding. It was one of 10 municipal governments across Canada to receive a climate resiliency grant in 2022 from the Intact Foundation, which is connected to Intact Public Entities, a large insurance company that works with municipalities. "The issue of flooding has been something that we've been aware of for certain communities across Charlottetown," said Alistair Ozon, the city's water co-ordinator.
Few will forget post-tropical storm Fiona, battering the east coast last fall. From Cape Breton to Charlottetown, Halifax to Port aux Basques, Canadians were caught between downed power lines and trees, with harrowing stories of narrow escapes from the rising waters. Some homes were completely submerged, and carried out to sea. One woman in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland, tragically lost her life this way.
A Petro-Canada station in Charlottetown has reported a loss of 4,500 litres of gasoline from its underground storage system, the provincial Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action said Wednesday. However, an official at the gas station at the corner of Belvedere and University avenues told CBC News the gas is believed to have leaked into a containment tank, so there shouldn't be environmental damage.
Some communities on P.E.I. may soon be looking for information about COVID-19 in wastewater. Several jurisdictions across the country already sample wastewater in an effort to collect data on how the virus is moving through their communities. Officials with the City of Charlottetown's water and sewer utility started discussions with P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Officer Monday about the possibility of wastewater monitoring for the virus.
Some municipal staff and politicians in the Charlottetown area went back to school last week — to 'Water's Cool' Water School. The water conservation program for Grade 5 students was originally created by staff with the Town of Stratford in 2011. The program expanded to include students in Charlottetown in 2019, and to date, more than 3,000 students have attended.
Funding will support a study of the existing undersized storm water system in Charlottetown in order to replace it to help meet the increasing needs and development of the community. Following the study, funding will also support the construction of a new 800 metre storm water system that will help the City collect and manage storm flows during peak rainfall events, eliminating the possibility of future flash flood events. Once complete this project will help protect homes and businesses, creating a more resilient and safer community.
The City of Charlottetown has created its first ever natural asset inventory, part of a national movement to help municipalities better manage their natural areas and understand their value, including helping to deal with the impact of climate change. The inventory is available on the city's website, and includes forests, wetlands, grasslands, shrublands and water as well as agricultural land.
The creator of the Blue W program is encouraging more P.E.I. businesses and public buildings to offer free tap water, in part to reduce the use of plastic water bottles. The Blue W program uses an interactive map to indicate locations where people can fill their reusable bottle without feeling compelled to make additional purchases.
