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

Indigenous interns graduate from drinking water internship program

Indigenous interns graduate from drinking water internship program

Anishinabek Nation celebrated the graduation of 14 interns from the Georgian Bay Drinking Water Internship Program recently. In association with the Ontario Water First Education & Training Inc. and Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations (WBAFN), Gezhtoojig Employment & Training, the paid internship program started in June 2021. It offers great opportunity as it recruits young Indigenous adults to be in the drinking water treatment industry. The program gives students the knowledge and experience to obtain entry-level certifications required to begin careers in water treatment. Through the skills they obtain in this internship program, students become qualified personnel, supporting communities much like our own, on the the unceded territories of the Secwépemc and Ktunaxa peoples and the land chosen as home by the Métis peoples of B.C., in having access to safe, clean drinking water for the foreseeable future.

MANITOBA GOVERNMENT JOINS FERTILIZER CANADA, KEYSTONE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS TO RENEW AGREEMENT ON SUSTAINABLE USE OF NUTRIENTS

MANITOBA GOVERNMENT JOINS FERTILIZER CANADA, KEYSTONE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS TO RENEW AGREEMENT ON SUSTAINABLE USE OF NUTRIENTS

The Manitoba government, Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) and Fertilizer Canada have signed a fourth memorandum of understanding (MOU) to reaffirm their ongoing commitment to the 4R Nutrient Stewardship for the sustainable use of nutrients in crop production, Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson and Environment, Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton announced here today.

B.C. Hydro looks to protect fish as drought leaves some reservoirs at record-low levels

B.C. Hydro looks to protect fish as drought leaves some reservoirs at record-low levels

B.C. Hydro says drought conditions in the province have left some of its reservoirs at or near record-low levels. While there is enough water at its larger facilities to meet the demand for power, the Crown utility says it has had to adapt to the impacts of climate change to keep fish alive downstream. Spokesperson Mora Scott says B.C. Hydro has held back water in its reservoirs in anticipation of a possible drought. "We have known that this can potentially be a problem for months, so we have been conserving water where we can so that we make sure that we're controlling that release of water, so that we don't see situations where we have rivers drying up and fish that are being killed," Scott said.

Mount Polley tailings pond breach still affecting aquatic life in Quesnel River

Mount Polley tailings pond breach still affecting aquatic life in Quesnel River

Every winter since the tailings pond breach at the Mount Polley mine in 2014, copper-laden sediment from the bottom of Quesnel Lake has been re-suspended in the water column and has flowed into the Quesnel River affecting aquatic life in the watershed, according to a new paper by UNBC researchers Phil Owens and Ellen Petticrew. The tailings facility at the Mount Polley copper and gold mine failed on Aug. 4, 2014, sending 25 million cubic metres of solids and water from the mine site into the local environment and researchers have spent the past eight years monitoring the environment after the breach.

Update on West Canada Creek Mobile Home Park

Update on West Canada Creek Mobile Home Park

A decision was made in the New York State Supreme Court Wednesday, regarding the West Canada Creek Village Mobile Home Park. Water Service was shut off for the mobile home park, Sept. 30 when a contract between the park and campground expired. According to the State Supreme Court, the campground must continue to provide water to the residents of the mobile home park until at least Nov. 30. That’s when the next court date has been set.

Global Water Testing and Analysis Market to Reach $5.5 Billion by 2027

Global Water Testing and Analysis Market to Reach $5.5 Billion by 2027

Abstract: What’s New for 2022?? Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares. Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial. Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Water Testing and Analysis Industry" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05799951/?utm_source=GNW In the changed post COVID-19 business landscape, the global market for Water Testing and Analysis estimated at US$3.7 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$5.5 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% over the analysis period 2020-2027. TOC Analyzers, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 8.5% CAGR and reach US$1.6 Billion by the end of the analysis period. Taking into account the ongoing post pandemic recovery, growth in the Turbidity Meters segment is readjusted to a revised 5% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

Hamilton asks Ontario for 1 more year to clean up Chedoke Creek spill amid Haudenosaunee dispute

Hamilton asks Ontario for 1 more year to clean up Chedoke Creek spill amid Haudenosaunee dispute

The City of Hamilton is asking the Ontario government to extend the deadline to clean up the sewage in Chedoke Creek by a year — to Dec. 31, 2023 — because of demonstrations from representatives of the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI). It's also asking the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to issue an order to HDI to prevent the group from causing any further disruptions as it tries to meet ministry orders to clean up the 24-billion-litre sewage spill, a leak that took place over four years.

Excess haloacetic acids detected in Thames Centre drinking water

Excess haloacetic acids detected in Thames Centre drinking water

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) and the Municipality of Thames Centre have announced levels of haloacetic acids (HAA) in the town's water supply that exceed the province's maximum acceptable concentration. HAAs are a group of byproducts that can form in drinking water systems when chlorine compounds used as disinfectants react with organic materials in the water. There is no immediate health risk to people using the water for showering, drinking, and other purposes, officials say.

Inflation has Fredericton councillors looking at a pause on higher water bills

Inflation has Fredericton councillors looking at a pause on higher water bills

Fredericton councillors have agreed in principle to hold off on a rate increase to residents' water bills next year, despite concerns that doing so will put the city behind on needed infrastructure upgrades. City treasurer Alicia Keating, who laid out the proposed 2023 water and sewer budget during a meeting Tuesday night, recommended the move. The city has in recent years been hiking water rates annually by about five per cent to help replace underground pipes and other aging infrastructure.

Some farmers in B.C. able to extend harvesting while others struggle with drought

Some farmers in B.C. able to extend harvesting while others struggle with drought

The unusual stretch of warm weather and summer-like heat is allowing some farmers in B.C. to extend their fall harvest season as crops continue to grow and yield quality produce, while others, especially in water-restricted areas, are struggling with the lack of rain. Sean Smukler, the chair of agriculture and environment at the University of British Columbia, says farmers experienced a cold and wet start to spring that delayed the growth of their crops by about three weeks, but some have been able to make up for lost time in the latter half of the season. "The crops that are well established and just need a little bit of water in this late season are probably able to take advantage of the sunny warm weather," Smukler told CBC News.

Smart water meters, asset management on Regina council agenda

Smart water meters, asset management on Regina council agenda

Smart water meters and asset management are some items on the agenda for Regina city council's meeting Wednesday afternoon. Last week, the city's executive committee signed off on new bylaw amendments to help introduce new smart water meters in every home and business in the city. According to a report by city staff presented to the executive committee, the new meters align with the city's goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. On Wednesday, council must decide whether to approve the changes.

Dry conditions have Alberta farmers worried — but province says there's no cause for concern

Dry conditions have Alberta farmers worried — but province says there's no cause for concern

Despite seeing promising crop yields this year, there's a heightened sense of pessimism among Alberta farmers as the harvest season wraps up. Farmers said that barley and wheat crops were great, but the excessive heat and above-average temperatures over the summer created issues for other crops, like canola — and it's leaving them worried for the year ahead. "The crop utilized every ounce of moisture that was in the soil this year to produce what we got and our farming practices helped us produce what we have," said Larry Woolliams with Airdrie-based Woolliams farms. "But there is zero reserve."

Fluoride in drinking water not associated with emotional, behavioural issues in kids: study

Fluoride in drinking water not associated with emotional, behavioural issues in kids: study

Childhood exposure to fluoride through public tap water isn’t associated with any emotional or behavioural issues, nor any negative executive functioning in adolescent years, according to a new study from Australia. Researchers looked at more than 2,600 children in a longitudinal study that compared children who had spent their lives drinking fluoridated tap water with those who hadn’t, in order to see if exposure to fluoride in drinking water had any negative impacts.

House in Alberta built from more than 1M recycled plastic water bottles

House in Alberta built from more than 1M recycled plastic water bottles

Just outside Millet, Alta., there’s a home built entirely from recycled plastic water bottles. Ecoplast Solutions has almost finished turning 1.2 million empty water bottles into a house. “When you’re telling someone you are building a house out of recycled plastic water bottles, it’s hard to fathom,” Kelly Rogers said with a smile. Rogers is the managing partner at Ecoplast Solutions and is excited to get the word out about this new method of building homes.

Manitoba infrastructure minister endorses new Brandon road access despite department's collision concerns

Manitoba infrastructure minister endorses new Brandon road access despite department's collision concerns

Manitoba's infrastructure minister overruled the advice of his own department to approve a highway access he was warned could increase collisions. A recent briefing note provided to Doyle Piwniuk stressed that adding a new entrance onto 18th Street in the southwest corner of Brandon — one of the city's busiest roads, also known as Highway 10 — would increase the likelihood of accidents and may degrade a wetland. The proposed access also features turning lanes that would be shorter than standard policy.

'It was so disgusting': Sask. woman says taps ran brown during water advisory in Assiniboia

'It was so disgusting': Sask. woman says taps ran brown during water advisory in Assiniboia

Jennifer Bauer was doing her dishes when she noticed something was wrong with the water coming out of her tap. It was brown. "I was like, 'what the heck?'" she said. "I can't even describe it. It was so disgusting." That's when the mother of six found out that her town of Assiniboia had been placed on a precautionary drinking water advisory the day before.

As climate change erodes coastlines, industry looking again at storm insurance

As climate change erodes coastlines, industry looking again at storm insurance

Properties on P.E.I.'s North Shore took the brunt of post-tropical storm Fiona's battering last month, and where the sea rose up and swept things away, many owners are finding they were not insured. It's called a storm surge. Winds driving water onshore combine with a high tide to raise the sea well above normal levels. Surges of more than two metres were measured in several locations during Fiona. These surges combined with metres-high waves to wreak havoc on the shore. It's a risk for all coastal properties, but climate change has made it difficult to put a price on that risk, making storm surge insurance rare.

Wastewater study finds COVID-19 declining in some Sask. cities

Wastewater study finds COVID-19 declining in some Sask. cities

An ongoing study of COVID-19 levels in wastewater conducted by the University of Saskatchewan has found there are less traces of the virus in some of the cities it is tracking. The University of Saskatchewan and Global Water Futures program have been examining wastewater samples from Saskatoon, Prince Albert and North Battleford since the summer of 2020. Their goal is to track the spread of COVID-19 in the community through wastewater, with their results usually dictating a rise or fall about a week in advance of changes in cases.

PARWU to host Open Houses on regional Water Treatment Plant this month

PARWU to host Open Houses on regional Water Treatment Plant this month

Prince Albert Rural Water Utility (PAWRU) has scheduled two project open houses for October to update the community on plans for a new regional Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and pipeline project to Shellbrook. PAWRU began making plans in 2021, and project members said they’ve made considerable progress over the summer. They plan to submit a technical proposal this fall, and need to gather input from subscribers, affected communities, and the public. “We are hoping the community will attend to provide valuable input and opinions from the region,” reads a PARWU press release.

Water main break leaves streets flooded in Regina's Lakeview neighbourhood

Water main break leaves streets flooded in Regina's Lakeview neighbourhood

Some residents of Regina's Lakeview neighbourhood woke up to the sound of car alarms and a flooded street. A water main broke at Hill Avenue and Argyle Road around 4:30 a.m. CST Monday. Ted Deller, a former CBC Saskatchewan newsreader who lives in the neighbourhood, found about 10 vehicles that were flooded. "Flooding started at 4:30 a.m. and was flowing by our house. I tried walking toward the end of the street but the water was up to the top of my firefighter boots threatening to go in," he said. "Car alarms were going off. Their electrical systems had shorted out, headlights were on, the windshield wipers were running and the trunk popped open."

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