Swim Drink Fish Blog
Read the latest updates and news releases about community science, water monitoring, Artists for Water, and more.
Case closed(ish): Shutting the door on the Toronto sewage bypass alerts
As of fall 2017, we are declaring “Case Closed” on the Toronto sewage bypass alerts file. After years of requesting alerts, the city is now issuing public notifications for all sewage bypasses. Learn all about it here, and why there's still work to be done.
Toronto Harbour Monitoring Report 2017: Key Findings and Recommendations
For the second year in a row, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper has released a report on its Toronto Harbour Monitoring Program. The report summarizes key findings and offers recommendations for both waterfront users and the City of Toronto.
An open letter to my city: Toronto isn't ready for the "Not Impaired" label
I know you’re eager to be free of a designation that shone a spotlight on your water quality problems for the last thirty years. You want to be able to declare victory and celebrate. We all do.
But it isn’t time yet, Toronto.
Toronto Harbour update: E. coli levels have dropped
After five straight trips resulting in off-the-charts E. coli levels, our most recent samples have come back with much better numbers.
The rain effect: when sewage hits the Toronto Harbour
Photos and water samples tell the story of what a combined sewer overflow looks like in the Toronto Harbour, and how it affects water quality.
Toronto Sewage Bypass Log
Until the City of Toronto begins to alert the public when a sewage bypass occurs, our Swimmable Water Ambassadors will call the Humber Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment plant for this information and share it here.
Sewage affecting Toronto Harbour, says new report from Waterkeeper (Press Release)
December 16, 2016 — Sewage flows into Toronto's inner harbour regularly. When it happens, there is no water quality monitoring or public alerts to inform the public. Those are the findings of a new video report released Thursday by the charity Lake Ontario Waterkeeper.
Toronto Harbour Report: Lake Ontario needs protecting
Official results for the Toronto Harbour Report are in. Watch the video, see the data, and learn how you can help protect the Toronto Harbour.
Sewage treatment plant struggles: Protect your lake with each flush
Wipes are one of the most common non-flushable items found clogging pipes and causing damage to wastewater systems. Waterkeeper took a closer look at the wipes-situation and met with the CIty of London's wastewater expert, Barry Orr.
That’s a wrap! September water sampling with Waterkeeper’s Investigation Team
Last month, Waterkeeper's Investigation Team collected water samples from 3 key sites along Toronto’s inner harbour. Waterkeeper’s sampling trips were an extension of a larger ongoing investigation on Toronto’s sewage pollution which we spearheaded 3 years ago. The results from our summer of sampling will be publicly released in a report later this fall.