Swim Drink Fish
Stories
Read the latest stories, updates and news releases about community science, water monitoring, and more.
Checking In with @waterkeepermark and Swim Drink Fish Ambassador Tanis Rideout
Mark Mattson is checking in with Swim Drink Fish Ambassadors about living with social distancing. Here, Tanis Rideout answers Mark’s questions.
Coronavirus detection: sample city sewage to help diagnose its presence and plan for preparedness
Why guess where the coronavirus is and how many people might be infected if we can use our wastewater systems to give us the facts?
Right now our communities, public policy experts, emergency services and planners want to know where and how far the coronavirus is spreading. Could we be sampling wastewater in our sewage systems to get that information?
Submission to Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan Committee
The Hamilton Harbour and Region Remedial Action Plan (HHRAP) team has released a report entitled Status Report on the Degradation of Aesthetics Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) XI in the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan. The Report presents findings from aesthetic observations and makes the case that the status of this BUI be re-designated from “Impaired” to “Not Impaired.”
The Hamilton RAP Report suggests that Hamilton Harbour’s waters are now “free from persistent objectionable unnatural deposit, unnatural colour, objectionable odour, or unnatural turbidity (e.g., oil slick or surface scum).”
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper (“Waterkeeper”) does not agree with this assessment.
A Citizen’s Guide to the Wastewater Data Published on the Open Government Portal
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has taken a tremendous step towards public transparency concerning sewage pollution in Canada. The release of the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulation is key to inspiring change like the restoration of waters impacted by sewage pollution, and infrastructure upgrades in cities with combined sewer systems.
Waterkeeper's comments for the Nuclear Safety Commission's BWXT relicensing hearing
BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada (BWXT) operates nuclear processing facilities in Toronto and Peterborough. They supply fuel pellets for the Pickering and Darlington Nuclear Generating Stations. BWXT’s licence is set to expire later in 2020, and Waterkeeper prepared a report to help ensure any new licence issued by the CNSC Commission promotes the swimmability, drinkability, and fishability of the Lake Ontario watershed. We’ve posted a summary of our comments and the original submissions here.
Pickering nuclear alert underscores need for greater transparency
Waterkeeper has long history of recommendations for PNGS
Waterkeeper has been calling for more frequent and comprehensive environmental sampling for all nuclear facilities in the Lake Ontario watershed for over a decade.
Public Hearings for BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Licence Renewal Taking Place in Toronto and Peterborough
CNSC Public Hearings dates announced for BWXT Toronto
BWXT is applying to renew its Class IB fuel facility operating licence for 10 years. The licence covers operations in Toronto and Peterborough. The Toronto facility is located at 1025 Lansdowne Ave., and has been at this location since 1955. Two public hearings are taking place in Toronto, March 2nd and 3rd, and Peterborough, March 5th and 6th, 2020.
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