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

Environment Department

'There's no accountability': Tantallon property contaminated, but no one will clean it up

'There's no accountability': Tantallon property contaminated, but no one will clean it up

Brink said at the time, her family made a few calls to find out what could be done, including to the Environment Department, but nothing much came of it. They tested their well water and the results showed it was safe. It wasn't until last year that Brink's daughter, Margret Holland, received the results of a freedom of information request and learned that the commercial property and her mother's property are contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene. 

P.E.I. water strategy 'a leaky document'

P.E.I. water strategy 'a leaky document'

While praising the goals of P.E.I.'s recently released water strategy, some water protection groups have some concerns about how exactly it is going to be implemented. The province announced regulations on its new Water Act would come into effect June 11, which would, among other things, end the moratorium on high-capacity wells for irrigation. Permits for irrigation wells would be tied to the creation of a soil conservation plan, and the province will create an open web site where the public can monitor water extraction from high-capacity wells.

Sewage smell, cloudy water in 2 rivers concern Oxford residents

Sewage smell, cloudy water in 2 rivers concern Oxford residents

People in the Oxford, N.S., area are concerned about a bad smell and water quality in two local rivers, and the Department of Environment is looking into the matter. Since about the middle of last week, people in the area have noticed a smell coming from the Black River, which flows through the centre of Oxford and into River Philip. The water is also an unusual colour, said Stephen Peck, president of the Cumberland Rivers Association.

As construction of new hospital moves ahead, MUN engineer raises flooding concerns

As construction of new hospital moves ahead, MUN engineer raises flooding concerns

A Memorial University professor says the Newfoundland and Labrador government is taking a big risk by building a mental health and addictions facility in an area that has flooded repeatedly over the past few decades. The location of the new mental health hospital, near the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's on a flood plain, has drawn criticism from many, including Joseph Daraio, a hydraulic engineer and MUN associate professor. "It's not a really good idea to put any building in a flood plain," said Daraio in a recent interview. "Especially something that would include such a high risk to so many people in a flood plain."

Yellowknives Dene do not want to be overlooked as Giant Mine cleanup ramps up

Yellowknives Dene do not want to be overlooked as Giant Mine cleanup ramps up

Northerners looking to participate in the economic spin offs of the $1-billion Giant Mine remediation project can expect to wait for the water licence before the project's main manager gets specific on potential contracts. The project's deputy director, Natalie Plato, said that the main construction manager, Parsons Inc., gave the board the "most detailed schedule" it could within last six months.

Provincewide well water testing now available through health authority

Provincewide well water testing now available through health authority

The cost of testing ranges between $30 and $120, depending on the scope of the analysis. The provincial Environment Department recommends residents on well water have it tested for bacteria every six months, and every two years for chemicals such as arsenic, fluoride, lead, nitrate/nitrite and uranium. Bacterial quality is usually assessed by a coliform test.

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