Ontario, Canado - 1/4 Schools & Daycares Found Lead in Tap Water
We’re not the only ones - with more studies and results recently surfacing, its very clear that our neighbour is experiencing similar issues! What are they doing about it?
Our neighbor has been experiencing similar issues to us - schools in Canada are suffering from outrageous levels of lead in their tap water. We’re going to go over the key points of an article that was published less than a week ago, covering specifically the issue of lead in tap water found in Ontario.
To get right to it - “one out of every four Ontario schools and daycares that tested their tap water and reported their results found at least one sample that exceeded the recommended national safety limit for lead in drinking water in 2019.”
Last year, Health Canada adopted an updated limit of 5 parts per billion (ppb) of lead in water to be considered safe to drink, down from the previous 10 ppb. Both of these levels are significantly lower than the EPA 15 ppb that we consider the level of action in America – all while it has been made very clear by health professionals that there is no healthy or even safe amount of lead for the human body.
“While Ontario continues to use a 10 ppb threshold for lead in water, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks said it’s reviewing Health Canada’s updated guideline.” We absolutely think that similar considerations need to be made in the states, as the lead levels increasing in the water across the country purely from the corrosion of pipes containing lead, is growing on a daily basis.
“Under provincial law” in Ontario”, most high schools are not required to submit test results until January 2022. Of those that did report, about 1,900 schools and daycares” out of a total sample size of around 7000, “found at least one tap water sample with lead levels exceeding five parts per billion (ppb) — Health Canada’s recommended limit of lead in drinking water.” To put things into perspective in understanding that this can happen absolutely anywhere - “at Upper Canada College, one of Ontario’s priciest private schools, 88 of the 478 tests — or 18 per cent — exceeded the Health Canada guideline”
Furthermore, the numbers seem to be increasing, which is what we would expect simply due to the age of the pipes increasing - thus being more likely to corrode. “The new data from the 2018-19 school year, which compiles all reported water test samples from public and private schools as well as daycares, shows a slight increase in the percentage of lead exceedances over the previous two years — up from nine per cent of all tests to 11 per cent.”
“Over the past three years, dozens of schools and daycares have measured dramatic lead spikes above 1,000 ppb”. Lead concentrations at these levels can immediately impact the body and the blood lead levels in a child and even in an adult. A child exposed to these levels especially, is at immediate risk of suffering from and harming the cognitive development abilities. These spikes in lead levels have been a lot more frequent than what we would consider acceptable. “Last year alone, 13 schools and daycares broke the 1,000 ppb level in their test results. “
Due to the recent switch of acceptable or ‘safe’ lead in water levels put forward by Health Canada, a grey area seems to shaping between old and new standards. Due to this, “schools and daycares that fall below the provincial threshold aren’t reported as an exceedance and parents with children in hundreds of Ontario schools and daycares with high levels of lead haven’t been notified.”
It is understandable from a PR perspective that schools don’t want the parents of their children to know that they are experiencing issues with lead levels and test results from tap water. However, this is so much more important than the image of any school or district school, this is the lives of children and young students that are at stake. There really is no alternative to fixing the issue, it must be addressed more seriously, frequently and openly. The options of solutions vary, luckily, allowing for both short and long-term fixes, as well as allowing for different budgets.
“While replacing pipes and fixtures is a costly, long-term solution, experts say lead-clearing filters can be used to help mitigate exposure to lead.” For the average household this is more than likely a good option – whether in Canada or the states.
“It’s not that expensive and especially when you’re dealing with kids, which is where lead can be the most dangerous and problematic.”.
This is all in Canada of course, however, we are aware of the health and safety regulations in Canada and we know they are up to the necessary standard. A lot of the infrastructure derives from a similar time with similar if not identical materials and methods.
We believe more school districts in the states need to approach this more seriously and we want to assist them in understanding more about the issue, as well as how to properly test and troubleshoot, as well as think of solutions.