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Research water resource management and water governance, gaining insight from Indigenous perspectives

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Research water resource management and water governance, gaining insight from Indigenous perspectives

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Comment with simple statements of what you learn from this source.

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SIWI - Leading expert in water governance

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Indigenous knowledge is crucial for the success of the UN 2023 Water Conference | SIWI - Leading expert in water governance

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Indigenous knowledge will be prominent at the UN 2023 Water Conference, hopes SIWI’s expert David Hebart-Coleman. Here he explains why this is so important and what he himself will be doing in New York.

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Water contamination, health, and climate change

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Water contamination, health, and climate change

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Quiz (3:00) Discuss how does climate change makes water contamination an even bigger problem?

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Why does water pollution matter? Take the quiz to find out.

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Read. State specific water problems in Iqaluit (one per comment).

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New year, same poisoned water for Iqaluit residents

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In late 2021, residents of the Nunavut capital endured two months of boil water advisories and were forced to rely on scarce bottled water. Just when they thought the crisis was over the bad odour in their water reappeared.

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View (3:30) What do you think it means to give the water a voice?
Read (10:00) What are the problems of using/drinking water that contains mercury?
What activities have degraded the lands and waters around reserves?
What larger social problems are created by an absence of clean water?

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This teaching is based on a series of articles and reports that are referenced below, and features an interview with Biidaabinokwe Jessica Keeshiig Martin, a member of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation from Neyaashiinigmiing, Saukiing Anishnaabekiing.

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Read (5:00). What do you learn about water advisories from this article and its links. Add one fact per comment. Discuss the challenges.

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Recently lifted long-term drinking water advisories

Wabaseemoong Independent Nations as of August 21, 2023

The long-term drinking water advisory affecting Wabaseemoong Independent Nations' Whitedog Public Water System, in Ontario, was lifted effective August 11, 2023. The system is producing and distributing potable water meeting drinking water guidelines and standards. The Centralized Water and Wastewater Hub, delivered by Bimose Tribal Council and funded by ISC, continues to provide support to the local water operator.

Northwest Angle No. 33 First Nation as of June 14, 2023

Three long-term drinking water advisories on Northwest Angle No. 33 First Nation's water systems, in Ontario, were lifted on June 14, 2023. The advisories were lifted after a new centralized water treatment plant was built at Angle Inlet, replacing the outdated systems.

Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation as of April 19, 2023

The long-term drinking water advisory (LTDWA) affecting Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte (MBQ) First Nation's Public Works Garage in Ontario has been lifted effective April 19, 2023. The garage has been connected to the newly extended water distribution system and is now receiving water from the community's centralized water treatment plant. The existing well and cistern system at the garage has been decommissioned. The lift was made possible through the water distribution system extension project the community is undertaking through Infrastructure Canada's Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. This represents the last of the LTDWAs in MBQ. Between January and March 2022, 5 LTDWAs were lifted in the community.

Montreal Lake and Lac La Ronge - Little Red River as of January 30, 2023

Montreal Lake Cree Nation and Lac La Ronge Indian Band have lifted the long-term drinking water advisory affecting the Little Red River Public Water System, in Saskatchewan effective January 30, 2023. Repairs to the system were completed. A boil water advisory that was in place since May 2021 was lifted in August 2022. A do-not-consume advisory remained in place for a targeted population due to high levels of manganese. Treated water now meets drinking water guidelines.

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Ending long-term drinking water advisories

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This initial progress is the result of First Nations' work with the Government of Canada and other partners towards a common goal: to end drinking water advisories that last more than one year by March 2021. Boil water advisory. Advisories. Boil water notice. Clean water.

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Read. Comment with a fact from the document. Let's aim for comments to reflect many different facts.

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Read and view. What actions will reduce plastic waste in the Great Lakes?

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Industrial plastic is spilling into Great Lakes, and no one’s regulating it, experts warn | CBC News

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About 10,000 tons of plastic waste are getting into the Great Lakes every year, threatening one of the largest reservoirs of freshwater on the planet that supports nearly 50 million people in Canada and the U.S.

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View (1:30) How is the transmission of cholera connected to both UN SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation, and UN SDG 16 - Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions?

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Mother immunizes daughter against cholera as she fears she could die

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What environmental problems result from fashion consumption? What are alternatives?

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Our planet is changing. So is our journalism. This story is part of a CBC News initiative entitled "Our Changing Planet" to show and explain the effects of climate change. Keep up with the latest news on our Climate and Environment page.
Growing up in Ghana, Joshua Akom relied on second-hand clothing. Now, living in Canada, the entrepreneur says thrift shopping doesn't just make economic sense, but it can also help the planet survive.

In 2016, he met Oghosa Ogiemwonyi, who always loved the thrifted clothing Akom now chose to wear as an adult. When the pandemic shut down thrift stores, the two saw an opportunity, one that would feed their love of fashion and help stem the clothing industry's environmental impact.

They co-founded Thriftsome, an online thrift store that allows Canadians to make more sustainable fashion choices.

"If you buy second-hand clothing, you are not only saving on cost, you are also extending the life of the planet," said Akom.

Between the chemicals, large water supply needed for production, and the piles of clothing that wind up in landfills, fashion is one of the worst industries for the planet. According to the United Nations Alliance for Sustainable Fashion, it's estimated the clothing and textiles industry is responsible for between two-to-eight per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions - more than all international flights and global shipping combined.

But a number of Canadian companies are trying to slow down the process with circular concepts like online thrifting and developing sustainable materials. They're part of a growing global ethical fashion trend as more consumers seek to shop conscientiously.

Akom says he initially didn't want to get into the fashion industry because of its negative environmental impact. Ogiemwonyi sees their work as a mission to help the future.

"I think what drives me the most is just the fact that I love fashion, first of all. And secondly, I want to have kids someday and I know with the rates that fast fashion is growing, it's scary to think about what will happen in the future," said Ogiemwonyi.

Ogiemwonyi is referring to "fast fashion" - dubbed "fast" because it's not designed to last long. Its lesser quality keeps the cost low, allowing people to purchase more and making its way faster to the landfills. It's also fast for the speed at which styles on the runways hit the stores.
WATCH | These Canadians are disrupting fast fashion:

Impacting land, and water supply

It's estimated that every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is added to a landfill or burned, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The industry isn't just impacting the land, but the planet's water supply as well. According to the United Nations Alliance for Sustainable Fashion, textiles account for about nine per cent of annual microplastic losses to the oceans.

The United Nations Environment Programme also says that it takes about 7,500 litres of water to produce just one pair of jeans.

Ogiemwonyi says many of the clothes the Winnipeg-based company acquires to sell still have the original price tags on.

"People just want to buy, and when it's affordable, everyone wants to get it and when they get it, they don't even have time to wait before the next new trend," said Ogiemwonyi.

Fast fashion is weaving into our social fabric in large part because of a desire to follow social media trends. It's fed by companies like Shein, boasting about thousands of new styles, mass-producing affordable, trendy clothes globally.

The United Nations Environment Programme warns that if this trend continues and nothing changes, by 2050 the fashion industry will use up a quarter of the world's carbon budget.

"The whole idea of fast fashion is to get it quick and get rid of it quickly. And so if you buy second-hand clothing, you are slowing down the process of [it] ending up in a landfill," said Akom.

Without a storefront, and still working to gain traction among shoppers, Thriftsome's clothes are currently stored at Ogiemwonyi's apartment. But Akom is optimistic their business will grow, and he's also trying to tackle the stigma around second-hand clothing, showing that it can be fashionable and sustainable - not just a last-chance option.

"We are hopeful because this generation cares so much about the planet ... and we hope that they will put their money where your heart is," said Akom.

'We're literally wearing fossil fuels'

While some are reinventing the wheel, Waterloo, Ont.-based startup, ALT TEX, is inventing a new type of material - from food waste.

"We're essentially creating a more circular alternative to polyester that's biodegradable, carbon neutral and re-engineered from food waste," said CEO and co-founder Myra Arshad.

Arshad and her co-founding colleague, Avneet Ghotra, want to replace polyester - a synthetic fibre that doesn't break down. Polyester is a popular textile in the fashion industry, playing a large role in the throwaway cycle, and adding to the mounting piles of clothes in landfills.

"A lot of us don't realize it's made from fossil fuels. We love to blame cars and the power companies and say that that's what's causing the carbon emissions. But we're not realizing that we're literally wearing fossil fuels," said Ghotra.

"We're really hoping that by creating these items, the average Joe sitting at home can really connect deeply with the T-shirt they're wearing. Really take care of it, give it a long life cycle, but at the end of its lifecycle, know that it has a home back into the planet rather than the landfill," said Arshad.

From apples and potatoes to T-shirts

By using biodegradable materials such as apples and potatoes - two of Canada's major agricultural products - the polyester alternative is more sustainable.

"All food has the right building blocks. Every food has a certain amount of sugars. So we can always retrofit and change our food waste," said Ghotra.

According to Ghotra, it won't look any different from traditional polyester, but the end result will be a piece of clothing that, instead of sitting in landfill for centuries, will biodegrade. Not only are they hoping to solve wasteful clothing, they are doing it by diverting what otherwise would be food waste - and currently, more than half of food produced in Canada is lost or wasted, according to a 2019 report.

Ghotra says they are using commercial and industrial food waste that doesn't end up on the shelves. She estimates that one T-shirt would use up about one kilogram of food waste.

Arshad and Ghotra are aiming to have clothing prototypes available within the next one-to-two years. To date, they have raised just over $2 million in funding, from both investors and grants. One of investors backing the idea is retired Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield.

Although the lab is a long way from the fashion runways and production factories, Ghotra says they are currently in talks with a handful of potential customers.

"As soon as we have our product ready, we will be piloting with them and we'll be hitting those runways in Milan soon, sooner rather than later."

'We wear 20 per cent of our wardrobe 80 per cent of the time'

While Canadians wait for more sustainable options to become widely available, Kelly Drennan, the executive director of Fashion Takes Action, a non-profit organization focused on sustainability in the fashion industry, says there are ways to mitigate the environmental issues within our current closets.

"We wear 20 per cent of our wardrobe 80 per cent of the time. So basically 80 per cent of our wardrobe is just sitting there not getting worn," said Drennan, of Toronto.

Drennan encourages people to shop their own closet before heading online or to retail stores.

"If you feel like you really are lacking something in your wardrobe, chances are it's already in there."

Drennan preaches the seven Rs of fashion sustainability: along with reduce, reuse and recycle, there's repurpose, repair, rent, resell, and then recycle again once the clothing has exhausted its lifespan.

It's a philosophy her organization promotes to students as part of youth education programs they deliver in schools.

"We really wanted to play the long game when it came to systems change and behaviour change. And we thought, okay, if we could get young people as young as eight years old up to 17 to really connect with fashion and how it impacts the planet and the people who make our clothes, then longer term, we actually might see some of those changes."
WATCH | Canada still ships plastic waste to developing countries:

The sustainability message has reached some shoppers along Toronto's Queen Street West, a trendy shopping district.

"One of my favourite things to do is vintage shopping. So by supporting vintage shopping, you're supporting recycled clothing," said Patrick Marzouk, 37. He said he shops online and in-person at stores about once a week, always looking for new finds.

For Tara Amina, 28, quality is top of mind.

"I definitely avoid Shein and the big producers. I don't buy from them. I try to buy things that I know I'm going to wear all the time."

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How Canadian clothing entrepreneurs are disrupting 'fast fashion' | CBC News

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Fast fashion is piling up in landfills at an alarming rate. But a number of Canadian companies are trying to slow down the process with circular concepts like online thrifting and developing a sustainable polyester alternative from food waste.

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View (2:00) What are the lessons about global interdependence? What can you do? One commitment per comment please.

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World Water Day 2023 animation starring the hummingbird!

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Read (5:00). Which level(s) of government is (are) responsible for what exactly in the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of clean drinking water in Indigenous territories? Discuss implications?

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2007
ISBN: 978-0-662-46562-1
Cat. No.: H128-1/07-514E
HC Pub.: 514

In nature, water is never "pure". It picks up bits and pieces of everything it comes into contact with, including minerals, silt, vegetation, fertilizers, and agricultural run-off. Canada's diverse physical geography--from its coastal regions to the mountains and the prairies, the northern tundra and the Canadian Shield--means that the characteristics of water vary greatly across the country. Even in relatively pristine areas, water in its natural state will likely require some type of treatment before it is safe to drink.

Drinking water in Canada comes either from underground sources (commonly called groundwater) such as aquifers, or from surface waters such as lakes and rivers. Most Canadians get their drinking water from public water systems that have to meet quality requirements set by provincial and territorial governments. In rural and remote areas, people may get their drinking water from wells or from surface water sources located on their own private property and are individually responsible for the safety of the drinking water.

Roles and Responsibilities of Governments

Responsibility for the quality of drinking water is shared by all levels of government. The federal government plays a key role in the area of drinking water by, among other things, leading the development of guidelines for drinking water and providing scientific and technical expertise to the provincial and territorial governments, through the Federal-
Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water. As part of their management responsibilities, the provinces and territories are generally in charge of regulating drinking water systems, including setting quality standards and managing source waters, treatment plants and distribution systems. Municipalities are usually responsible for the actual treatment and distribution of drinking water to the public,
except private home owners who draw drinking water from a source on their property. Because of the complexity of water issues, effective collaboration is key to maintaining drinking water quality.

The Federal Government's Roles and Responsibilities

Health Canada publishes the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. These guidelines are developed by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water, made up of members from the federal, provincial and territorial government departments responsible for drinking water. Health Canada coordinates the activities of the Committee and provides scientific and technical expertise. The department also:

shares expertise and scientific advice with other government departments and organizations interested in drinking water issues, and the public;

conducts scientific health assessments related to the Guidelines;

conducts research into, and evaluations of, the safety of materials that come into contact with drinking water;

coordinates the development of analytical methods for drinking water contaminants where they do not currently exist; and

provides advice and assists in emergencies such as chemical spills, on request.

Health Canada's Water, Air and Climate Change Bureau is recognized as a World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) Collaborating Centre for Water Quality, and participates in the development of
WHO guidelines for drinking water. The Bureau also works closely and shares information with other government agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Health Canada also carries out inspections for the safety of drinking water on common carriers such as ships and airplanes, and regulates the quality of pre-packaged water and ice and sets quality standards for these products. Because bottled water is considered a food under the Food and Drugs Act, inspections are carried out by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Several federal departments and agencies are directly responsible for providing drinking water in areas under federal jurisdiction, such as in national parks, military facilities, and other federal buildings. These departments and agencies include Public Works and Government Services, National Defense, Correctional Services Canada, Canada Customs Agency, Parks Canada, Transport Canada, Foreign Affairs Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Coast Guard), and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.

Drinking Water on First Nations Lands

In First Nations communities located south of 60ºN, the responsibilities for drinking water are shared between First Nation Band Councils, Health Canada, and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). Band Councils are generally responsible for ensuring water facilities are designed, constructed, maintained and operated in accordance with established federal or provincial standards. INAC provides funding for constructing or upgrading water facilities, and covers a portion of the operation and maintenance costs. In some cases INAC provides funding to First Nations communities to share services, such as access to drinking water, with neighbouring municipalities. Health Canada ensures water quality monitoring programs are in place in First Nations communities.

In First Nations communities located north of 60ºN, responsibilities for drinking water generally rest with the territorial governments.

The Provincial and Territorial Governments' Roles and Responsibilities

Drinking water quality is primarily a provincial and territorial responsibility. Each province and territory has developed legislation and/or policies to protect the quality of drinking water from source to tap. All jurisdictions base their requirements on the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality and enforce them either directly through legislation or regulation, or indirectly through licensing of treatment plants. Since the characteristics of drinking water vary greatly across the country, provincial and territorial authorities are best able to determine which guidelines need to be met locally.

In British Columbia, New Brunswick, and the territories, the authority for drinking water quality rests with ministries of health. In other provinces, this authority rests primarily with ministries of environment who collaborate closely with their counterparts in the health ministries when a concern about the safety of a drinking water supply is raised.

Municipal Government Roles and Responsibilities

In most Canadian communities, drinking water is treated, stored and delivered to homes and businesses by a municipality. Municipal governments manage the day-to-day operation, maintenance and monitoring of the drinking water treatment plants and distribution system to ensure the water reaching consumers meets the required drinking water quality standards. If a citizen is concerned about his or her drinking water quality, the first resource to consult is the municipal service provider.

For more information

For more information on drinking and recreational water quality issues, visit Health Canada's Water quality and health page.

You can also contact us by email at water_eau@hc-sc.gc.ca or by fax: 613-952-2574

Report a problem or mistake on this page

Thank you for your help!

You will not receive a reply. For enquiries, contact us.

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Water Talk - Drinking Water Quality in Canada

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2007 ISBN: 978-0-662-46562-1 Cat. No.: H128-1/07-514E HC Pub.: 514 In nature, water is never "pure". It picks up bits and pieces of everything it comes into contact with, including minerals, silt, vegetation, fertilizers, and agricultural run-off.

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View. List aspects of life that depend on water - one per comment.

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Dig deeper to find out the benefit of deeper artisanal wells, and/or how exactly a latrine is constructed in Central America.

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This project is a continuation of the Casa - Pueblito funded project at Huellas de Paz that has been happening since 2016. They have decided to continue with the programming because of the success rate and the way beneficiaries have grown over the years. The waves of violence that occurred in 2018 and 2019 have created an atmosphere of stress, tension, and anxiety in community members, and 2020 exacerbated the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Acahualinca in particular is a community that is vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19 due to the informal nature of employment of most heads of household and the high rates of poverty and alcohol and drug use. Drug use has been a concern in the community, as it has increased in the past months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, all previous programming will be paired with psychological attention from a professional to help with processes of healing and dealing with trauma in the community. In particular, they'll be working on "how to carry grief" with the families of the community, many of whom have lost loved ones to COVID-19. Psychologists will also be providing therapeutic tools to deal with emotions like fear, anxiety, lack of a sense of purpose in life, and non-violent communication and conflict resolution. These tools are important to face future problems and violence that might occur in Nicaragua. The proposal for this year aims to solidify the use of art as a transformative tool in the community, recognizing that art is a tool that allows people to disconnect and detox the mind from the diverse situations experienced in Nicaragua like the violence that has taken place since 2018 that many have experienced either directly or indirectly, the worldwide tragedy of COVID-19 and the psychological consequences. The proposal aims to continue contributing to the empowerment of vulnerable groups in the community, through art and education.

Huellas de Paz will offer programs around community theatre (and theatre of the oppressed), gender equality, legal advice for youth and women, preventative measures for COVID-19, constructing a room that will be used for community health attention, continuing vocational sewing and painting courses, dance, music, and art classes. They'll also be expanding the offerings for the young mothers' group, offering more professional psychological and legal support, and with a greater focus on using art like murals or graffiti to promote artistic expression.

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This project is a continuation of the Casa - Pueblito funded project at Huellas de Paz that has been happening since 2016. They have decided to continue with the programming because of the success rate and the way beneficiaries have grown over the years.

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View. What is Autumn Peltier's 'call to action'? What's one change you could make, related to that call to action?

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Some communities still boiling water before drinking

You know something's wrong when a child speaks up.

That's how Autumn Peltier, a 16-year-old from Wiikwemkoong First Nation in Ontario, framed her fight for clean drinking water in Canada's Indigenous communities.

The teen, who's originally from Manitoulin Island but currently living in Ottawa, told CBC Kids News she'd rather spend her free time doing normal kid stuff.

Instead, she's making speeches on the international stage about the fact that some Canadians don't have access to clean water.

"Water is a basic human right. Everyone deserves access to clean drinking water, no matter what our race or colour is or how rich or poor we are," Autumn said.

Autumn seized the opportunity to share that message with the world when she addressed the United Nations in 2018 and again in 2019.

In 2019, she was also named chief water commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation, which means she speaks on behalf of 40 First Nations in Ontario.

As of October, more than 40 Indigenous communities in Canada had boil water advisories in place, which means residents have to boil their water before it's safe to drink.

During the federal election campaign in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to get rid of all boil water advisories in the country by March 2021.

Now leaders in many of those communities are saying Trudeau's government won't meet that deadline.

In October, the prime minister said more than 100 boil water advisories have been lifted since that promise was made, and his government continues to work "very hard" to reach its goal.

As for Autumn, she said the idea that time is running out "keeps me up when I can't sleep at night."

Click play to watch Autumn tell her story in her own words:

Interested in watching more profile videos featuring Canadian teen activists? Check out these links:

With files from Olivia Stefanovich/CBC
TOP IMAGE CREDIT: Andrew Lee/CBC, graphic design by Allison Cake/CBC

Get your class on the same page, add this to

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WATCH - Teen activist Autumn Peltier demands clean water for all | CBC Kids News

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You know something's wrong when a child speaks up. That's how Autumn Peltier, a 16-year-old from Wiikwemkoong First Nation in Ontario, framed her fight for clean drinking water in Canada's Indigenous communities. The teen, who's originally from Manitoulin Island but currently living in Ottawa, told CBC Kids News she'd rather spend her free time doing normal kid stuff.

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Play (25:00). Go through steps of water treatment to crack the code and escape the water treatment facility.

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Can you crack the code? We need 50-100L of water per day to keep ourselves clean and stay healthy. Canada has 7% of the fresh water in the world and we use on average 250L per day per person - much more than most other countries. Access to clean water is a human right.

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Although many plants and living species depend on water an aspect that depends on water for daily life is your hygiene.

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View. Please comment with one phrase about what BRAC did to solve problems of dehydration in Bangladesh in the 1970s? Successive comments can flesh out the answer.

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Read. Write a math problem for your peers to solve, based on any UN SDG data. Or, convert a fact(s) to a form that would be compelling for your peers.

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Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation - The Global Goals

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Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

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Read. What are the arguments against single use water bottles?

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Disposable water bottles are recyclable. Why do they create negative impact to the environment?

In Canada, only approximately 70% of plastic bottles end up being recycled. The remaining 30% end up in landfills where they take centuries to break down. Plastic bottles also make up 90% of all floating litter in the oceans and shorelines.

In addition, it takes large amounts of electricity, oil and water to produce plastic bottles. Each year in Canada, the equivalent of 1.2 million barrels of oil of energy is used to produce plastic bottles, causing the release of 166,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (the most common greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere. It also takes between 1.3 and 3 liters of water to produce 1 liter of bottled water. Although it is important to always recycle plastic bottles, the best strategy to reduce our ecological footprint is to avoid purchasing them by bringing your own reusable bottles, or to reduce the amount of plastic water bottles purchased whenever possible.
How much bottled water do Canadians drink each year?
Canadians drink an average of 2.29 billion liters of bottled water each year. That makes up 11% of the entire soft drink industry in Canada. With a current population of 35,160,000, that averages to 65 liters per person each year.
Can I reuse a disposable plastic water bottle?
No, Health Canada does not recommended that you reuse disposable water bottles. Health Canada's studies on reusing disposable water bottles have found that it poses a microbiological risk. Depending on the source of the water and the general hygiene of the user, potentially hazardous bacteria can build up very quickly inside the bottle.
Isn't bottled water cheaper and more convenient than tap water?
The cost of purchasing bottled water can range from $0.20 to over $3.00 per 500mL bottle. The cost of municipal tap water varies in each municipality. In the Region of Peel, the rate is just $0.000535 per 500mL and $0.000488 per 500mL in Oakville. This makes tap water between 370 and 6200 times cheaper!

At all Sheridan campuses, you don't have to wait in line and spend over $2.00 on water. Free, clean, fresh, and cool water is available anytime at the bottle refilling stations and water fountains. Located in almost every building at every campus, our fountain water is the cheapest and most convenient option as a source of drinking water for everyone on campus.
Isn't bottled water safer than tap water?
Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drugs Act of Canada, which states that bottled water is classified as a food product and therefore must be free of all potentially hazardous contaminants. In comparison, municipal tap water (which goes to Sheridan's Refill stations) is regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, which sets stringent maximum acceptable concentrations for over 300 different contaminants. In the greater Toronto area, municipalities test for all of these contaminants every 4 to 6 hours. Although Health Canada states that both bottled water and tap water are exceptionally safe to drink, tap water has stricter regulations.
What has Sheridan done to reduce the ecological footprint caused by bottled water?
Sheridan has installed more than 60 Elkay Reusable Water Bottle Stations and drinking water fountains at all 4 campuses. With a reusable water bottle, you can get free, clean, and cool water almost anywhere on your campus. Since the installation of these water stations, Sheridan has prevented the purchase of 1,600,000 plastic bottles. That's 16 tonnes of plastic, equal to the weight of three adult elephants!

To produce this much plastic, it would have taken:
* 75,000 kWh of electricity
* 110 barrels of oil
* 240,000L of water

Equivalent to:
* Powering 6 homes for a year
* Driving around the world 4 and a half times
* Taking 3,700 showers
What can I do to reduce my ecological footprint?
By bringing your own reusable water bottle and using the bottle refilling stations and water fountains at your campus, you can reduce the number of plastic bottles purchased on campus. As a result, less energy, oil and water will be used, and a less carbon dioxide will be emitted to the atmosphere.

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Disposable water bottles are recyclable. Why do they create negative impact to the environment? In Canada, only approximately 70% of plastic bottles end up being recycled. The remaining 30% end up in landfills where they take centuries to break down. Plastic bottles also make up 90% of all floating litter in the oceans and shorelines.

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View (14:00) Add facts from this source in separate comments. Try to not duplicate.

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Explained | World's Water Crisis | FULL EPISODE | Netflix

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Lands Guardians of the Poplar River First Nation

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Lands Guardians of the Poplar River First Nation

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View. What key words/key ideas do you take from this look at guardianship of the lands and rivers around the Poplar River First Nation?

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Lake Winnipeg Project: Poplar River ,The

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This film explores the special connection that Poplar River First Nation has to the lands and waters surrounding their community. Poplar River community members Sophia Rabliauskas and Clint ...

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Invest your curiosity in something you discover here. Start a new post (click on + bottom right) with the link you've chosen. Add a title and question to your post.

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SDG Cities humbly acknowledges the Indigenous Peoples who have stewarded the lands and waters of the places we call home. To realize a just and sustainable future we recognize the harmful legacy of colonization, both past and present, and go forward together in the spirit of reconciliation.