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

RDOS

Water quality advisory extended for Okanagan Falls lower zone

Water quality advisory extended for Okanagan Falls lower zone

A water quality advisory has been extended for the lower zone of the Okanagan Falls water system. Announced earlier this week, the Regional District for Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS) says the advisory for manganese will remain in place until further notice. The regional district says it “recognizes that residents in the lower zone are continuing to encounter poor water quality and the RDOS is working on making changes to the water system with the anticipation of long-term improvements to the water quality.”

Wetland at Okanagan Falls sewer plant now fully up and running

Wetland at Okanagan Falls sewer plant now fully up and running

The wetland project next to the Okanagan Falls wastewater treatment plant to polish treated effluent is now fully operational. The new wetland is operated by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and comprises 1.9 hectares of floodplain land adjacent to the Okanagan River. According to the RDOS, while wastewater treatment plant discharges clean effluent, during the summer months, the wetland allows for an additional one-third reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus loading to the Okanagan River.

‘Water is life’ teaches new Syilx children’s book series

‘Water is life’ teaches new Syilx children’s book series

A new children’s book series by a Syilx and Nlaka’pamux author is teaching kids about the importance of water as a living entity and how to protect it. “It was significant and important for me to write this series because water is life. I wanted to create awareness of water practices and policies, to ensure that it’s protected,” says author Harron Hall. The four-book series, titled Follow the Water, will launch on Feb. 5, and marks Harron’s publishing debut.

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