I don’t think you should drink that: Traces of lead found in Canadian water pipes

BY BRITTNEY CHANNER

Let’s talk about water! It plays such an important part in our world and contributes to a healthy lifestyle. As humans, 60% of our general makeup consist of water and can constitute as much as 93% of the body weight of a newborn infant. Living in a first world country allows us the privilege of being able to access water in many forms such as purchasing bottled water from the grocery store or from the taps within our household. However, when we think about the concept of water and our access to it, not much thought goes into the possibility of it being free from harmful chemicals and bacteria. We are able to partake together in drinking as much water as possible free from worry and anguish; or are we?

On November 3rd, it was determined that tap water coming out of Canada’s pipes may not be clean and clear. The water flowing was shown to find unsafe traces of lead which can possibility impact many people across the country. Led by a team of student journalists, local residents of communities and establishments from across Canada were asked to provide samples of their tap water for random testing. The focus of this inquiry all stems from a neurotoxin known as lead.

Lead is a naturally toxic metal that is found in the Earth’s crust which has resulted in environmental contamination and poses significant public health issues when exposed to humans. A well known crisis involving lead occurred in 2015 in Flint, Michigan with the water crisis that developed. 87 cases of Legionnaires disease were discovered which resulted in the deaths of 115 people and counting.

In Canada, the tests that were conducted showed an overwhelming amount of lead in the drinking water of many homes and businesses. As it pertains to Ontario, it was reported that nearly one third of all Ontario schools and daycares had at least one test result that displayed 5 parts per billion of lead (ppb) from April 2016 to March 2018. (Robinson, 2019) It was also determined that neighborhoods that posed a higher risk for lead concentration within water were older homes with pipes that had not been replaced for decades.

It is important to understand how lead can affect many parts of the body over time and how deadly it can be for children. In adults, when a person is exposed to very high levels of lead, a person may feel tired, experience memory loss, feel constipated and display pain or tingling in hands or feet. However, over a long period of time, lead exposure can turn into anemia, kidney and brain damage; even death. Nevertheless, lead affects children more quickly and severely than adults. Children may not have obvious symptoms compared to adults however; its exposure can produce delayed speech, behavioral problems, trouble concentrating and can dangerously affect the development of a child’s brain therefore creating long lasting effects on overall growth and development

As of now, it has been determined that the current state of Ontario’s drinking water still puts thousands of residents, children and pregnant women at risk for lead exposure and lead poisoning due to the traces of lead components in household plumbing. Advocates have pressured the province to intervene by introducing legislation to require a minimum of 75% of municipal lead service lines to be replaced within a 3-5 year time span. (Cribb, Keogh, Buckley, Mutis, & Cohen, 2019) While this seems like an easy fix, the financial costs associated with such a replacement may prove to be more difficult than it seems. Unfortunately, it is stated that many municipalities are decades away from being able to pay for such extensive work.

So, how does one protect oneself and their family from excessive exposure from lead? Washing hands and child toys frequently can prevent contamination of dust and soil from outdoor play. Additionally, running cold water for a minute before cooking or making baby formula can assist in decreasing ones exposure to lead. Nevertheless, it is imperative that the province takes heed of the results produced from the study and create a solution to this slowly growing problem.