fountains

Some Vancouver residents unhappy about park board leaving Vancouver ponds dry

Some Vancouver residents unhappy about park board leaving Vancouver ponds dry

In 2020, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation stopped filling the ponds with potable water in a bid to conserve water, implementing a bylaw that requires some water features, like ponds that do not recirculate water, be switched off. Now many ponds throughout the city are drying up or have completely dried up — to the disappointment of some residents, like Seear. The park board said it is focusing instead on restarting a handful of fountains it previously closed to save water. 

Worrisome levels of lead found in school drinking water

Worrisome levels of lead found in school drinking water

The majority of drinking water samples taken from Children of the Earth and Kelvin high schools contained concerning levels of lead in a recent review of fountains, kitchen taps and other fixtures in K-12 buildings in central Winnipeg. Manitoba’s largest school division released the results of a provincially mandated lead-testing program in its administrative buildings and learning facilities.

Liberal MPs call on Ottawa to tackle ‘national public health crisis’ of lead in drinking water

Liberal MPs call on Ottawa to tackle ‘national public health crisis’ of lead in drinking water

A group of federal Liberal MPs are asking their government to invest up to $400 million to combat the “health crisis” of lead-contaminated drinking water which was exposed in communities across the country by a national investigation by 10 media outlets, including Global News and the Toronto Star. An open letter written by Hamilton MP Bob Bratina says the government “can and must” direct a portion of infrastructure spending designed to revitalize the post-COVID-19 economy into the “national public health crisis we face in the form of lead-contaminated drinking water.”

Children in schools and daycares across Canada are exposed to unsafe water

Children in schools and daycares across Canada are exposed to unsafe water

Many children in schools and daycares across Canada are likely being exposed to dangerous levels of lead in their drinking water and don’t know it, because most provinces aren’t requiring comprehensive testing at the taps, according to a collection of provincial studies and internal briefing material. The internal briefing material included memos and other advice prepared for high-ranking government officials in several provinces. These documents were released through freedom of information legislation to Global News as part of a joint year-long investigation into drinking water in partnership with Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism and other media organizations.

Why Vancouverites need to stop treating their water supply like a 'buffet'

Why Vancouverites need to stop treating their water supply like a 'buffet'

Vancouver is known for rain and snow-capped mountains, both of which supply the city's water reservoirs. But as climate change continues to alter weather patterns and reduce rainfall, the supply will dwindle and Uytae Lee is thirsty for action to be taken now. Metro Vancouver is also predicting another one million people will arrive in the region by 2050 and predicts a water "supply gap" by 2030.