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.
Now being constructed by Chandos Construction on the edge of Calgary, the $18-million Taza Water Reservoir won’t be the typical standard reservoir the public largely ignores. With a decorative curvature, although still protective, cedar pole fence, it will be the gateway feature for Taza Park East, just one phase of Taza Park, an environmentally sustainable community being developed by the Tsuut’ina Nation with Canderel.
A plastic bottle crinkles in Deanna Starlight’s hand. She holds it up while standing in her home in Tsuut’ina Nation. “We normally have porridge every day,” she said. “One of these (bottles of water) takes a porridge.” Bottled water has become a life source for the family; they even use it to cook with. Starlight estimates they spend up to $800 a month on bottled water, either in big plastic jugs or little bottles like the one she has in her hand. “At one point there was 22 of us, you know, downstairs another family down there and here. A lot of water, a lot of water,” said Starlight, who is an elder in the community.
Despite receiving its water from Calgary through a regional system, Strathmore has been left out of discussions about reintroducing fluoride to the city’s potable water. In 2011, Calgary water fluoridation was discontinued. But in 2019, the City of Calgary started discussions about adding fluoride to the city’s water supply once again. A report to Calgary city council was presented on Dec. 14, 2020, stating that adding fluoride to the water supply would cost about $30 million over two decades, including about $10.1 million in capital expenses, about $1 million per year in operating and maintenance costs, and about $2 million to $4 million in upgrades over that period. The report stated an associated change in water utility rates or service levels are not anticipated, though this is not guaranteed.
