Water News
Alberta Water News is a free, subscription-based service that provides the latest information on water news across Alberta and upcoming events.
The news is distributed weekly on Mondays via a collated email and Monday to Friday via WaterPortal social media (X was Twitter). Please note that news will not be distributed on Holiday Mondays and will be released the following Tuesday.
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‘Do not swallow any unboiled water,’ McMaster tells students in downtown residence
CBC
McMaster University is telling students who live at its new downtown residence they should boil their water before drinking it and to add bleach when cleaning their dishes. The guidelines were part of a Saturday morning email to students and tenants in 10 Bay St. S., obtained by CBC Hamilton. Click here to continue reading
Feds introduce bill to set drinking water standards in First Nations
CBC
The federal government’s proposed new bill is intended to protect fresh water sources, create minimum national drinking water and wastewater standards in First Nations, and provide sustainable funding for maintaining water quality. Click here to continue reading
Study of Water Impacts of Hydrogen Development in Alberta – 2023
WaterSMART Solutions
In recognition of the potential scale and speed of hydrogen development in Alberta, this report has been prepared to assess the potential impacts of hydrogen development on water resources across Alberta, and to highlight locations in which available supply may limit hydrogen development. Click here to continue reading (Associated infographic)
Natural Infrastructure and Prairie Prosperity
IISD
The natural infrastructure sector contributes billions to the Prairie-wide economy and creates jobs. In 2022, the sector’s direct contribution to the GDP of the Canadian Prairies was estimated to be CAD 4.1 billion, and it directly employed over 33,000 people in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: ‘A scam all around’: Navajo Nation groups oppose hydropower projects
The Guardian
Navajo Nation environmentalists are opposing a “self-described jet setter” and French millionaire’s plans for a massive hydropower project they claim will adversely affect the land, water, wildlife, plants and cultural resources of the largest land area held by Indigenous American peoples in the US. Click here to continue reading
Canada and British Columbia invest in Fraser River bank erosion protection
Water Canada
Efforts to reduce the risk of further erosion on the Fraser River bank, and in particular that of the Matsqui Dike, are receiving much needed support, thanks to the combined investment of more than $19 million from the governments of Canada and British Columbia, along with the City of Abbotsford. Click here to continue reading
Deep in the Wilderness, the World’s Largest Beaver Dam Endures
Yale Environment 360
The largest beaver dam on Earth was discovered via satellite imagery in 2007, and since then only one person has trekked into the Canadian wild to see it. It’s a half-mile long and has created a 17-acre lake in the northern forest — a testament to the beaver’s resilience. Click here to continue reading
Quebecers evacuated over fears of dike breach won’t be able to return before Dec. 17
The Canadian Press
Residents forced from their homes in Quebec’s Laurentians region over fears a dike could burst and unleash a torrent of water won’t be able to return for another 11 days. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: You Won’t Believe What New Mexico Is About to Buy
Mother Jones
New Mexico will invest $500 million into purchasing water from controversial sources, including treated oilfield wastewater, as a means to bolster the state’s water portfolio. Click here to continue reading
Compare and contrast: Urban Anti-Flooding Strategies in Latin American Cities
ArchDaily
The issue of flooding, in particular, is becoming more prominent in urban centers. The lack of planning and inadequate drainage systems directly impact land use, leading to its subsequent impermeabilization. When addressing the issue of urban flooding, the primary mitigation tactics that emerge are precisely those related to green infrastructure. Click here to continue reading