‘This is really at risk’: Lethbridge woman swimming to raise awareness on drinking water
Posted August 21, 2020 11:51 am.
LETHBRIDGE (660 NEWS) – A Lethbridge woman is so concerned about the city’s drinking water supply, she plans to swim across the Oldman Reservoir to prove it.
Nichole Robinson, who holds a degree in environmental science, is frustrated the Kenney government has removed strict coal regulations that could clear the way for open-pit coal mining at the headwater of the Oldman River.
To raise awareness on the issue, she plans to swim across the Oldman Reservoir on Saturday.
“A lot of people in Lethbridge don’t really know what’s going on and how it will impact them. I thought it would be kind of a cool way to raise awareness of this and say, ‘look, we have these amazing sources of freshwater right out our door.’ This is really kind of at risk.”
Robinson notes that Lethbridge receives 100 per cent of its water from the Oldman River watershed. The headwaters of the river are in the previously protected area that is now slated for open-pit coal mining between Blairmore and Chain Lake.
“My biggest frustration with this is the lack of public consultation that went on before these decisions were made–decisions that will have such serious implications for so many Albertans. So many people don’t even know what has happened.”
Robinson is especially worried about the water quality for people living in Lethbridge. She points to the example of the open coal mines just past the Alberta-B.C. border operated by Teck Resources.
She said despite pumping millions of dollars into water treatment efforts, the mines continue to have serious problems with selenium leaching into the Elk River System.
One mine, in particular, she added, is affecting water wells in the town of Sparwood.
“Everything we’ve learned from these existing mines tells us there is currently no proven way to prevent selenium from open-pit mining from leaching into the water system. And not a single one has been successful in fully removing it. People need to know that,” said Robinson.
She estimates that, depending on the weather conditions, it will take six to seven hours to swim the 15 kilometres across the Oldman Reservoir.
Robinson is also urging others to speak to their MLAs and contact the federal and provincial departments of the environment to ask for change.
