The North Saskatchewan River is central to life in the city in more ways than one. And every time you turn on your tap, the water of the North Saskatchewan is there, courtesy of EPCOR.
Since launching in 2022, Glass of the Sask has brought attention to Edmonton’s tap water and its source, becoming a recognizable image on carafes in local restaurants and on water stations at festivals.
This summer, EPCOR partnered with the Edmonton Riverhawks. Besides being good nieghbours, EPCOR and the Edmonton Riverhawks teamed up to install two new fillable water stations on the RE/MAX Field concourse. EPCOR has commissioned works by two local artists to surround the new water stations, celebrating the river’s role in the city.
These new art works, created by Pete Nguyen and Justine Ma, take the campaign to a new level. Both pieces centre on the river, reminding residents that the relationship between Edmontonians and the river is just that — a relationship that flows both ways. Residents have a responsibility to steward the river and care for our drinking water, ensuring a healthy watershed for generations. The Glass of the Sask draws our attention to the source of that water, and Nguyen and Ma’s works visualize that awareness in new ways.
Nguyen, an artist, designer and creative director, created “Stillness in the Flow”, to highlight the river’s active role in the city, portraying the North Saskatchewan as a living character, running through the heart of the city, shaping individuals and landscapes. Nguyen’s illustration also includes a character, an everyday Edmontonian, cupping river water in their hand and looking at the river with curiosity — inviting all of us to look closer.
“Edmonton is here because the river is here,” Nguyen writes in his artist statement. The work is not just about the river, but how Edmontonians interact with and rely on it.
“We take it for granted because it’s just always there,” Nguyen says. “And we really forget how precious it is.
“It’s more like a quiet appreciation for its existence and to know that there’s people like (those at) EPCOR that take care of it and there’s restaurants and bars in town that appreciate what it gives us,” says Nguyen.
Glass of the Sask also inspires civic pride, reminding Edmontonians that our water is not only treated by EPCOR to ensure it’s safe — it also tastes great.
“Our tap water rules,” Nguyen says.
EPCOR’s rigorous water quality testing is one reason why Edmonton has some of the best tap water in the world. Edmonton’s tap water is tested for over 150 parameters, nearly double the required 80. The treatment process takes up to 12 hours, including clarification, filtration and disinfection — before it’s delivered to Edmontonians.
Riverhawks fans are also able to get their hands on Glass of the Sask refillable aluminum bottles on Thirsty Thursday home games, and EPCOR is a proud sponsor of Foodie Night on July 31. Fans are encouraged to come cheer on the Riverhawks, enter to win some great prizes and come find Ma and Nguyen’s art pieces in person at water stations in the RE/MAX Field concourse for the Riverhawks’ 2025 season — and be sure to fill your water bottle with a Glass of the Sask.
Learn more at epcor.com/glassofthesask
This content was produced in partnership with the advertiser by Odvod Publishing for commercial purposes.
