Lead Levels in Canada’s Drinking Water Worse than Flint: Report

An investigation carried out during one year by journalism schools has found damning levels of lead in the drinking water provided in many major Canadian cities, sometimes even higher than the levels reported in the infamous U.S. case of Flint, Michigan.

The report results from the collection of data by a team of 120 journalists from nine universities and 10 media organisations, including The Associated Press and the Institute for Investigative Journalism at Concordia University in Montreal.

Although Canadian federal authorities do not run systematic tests of the tap water across the country, the lead rate exceeded the federal guidelines.

They tested 12,000 homes in 11 different cities of the country since 2014, and found that one-third – 33 percent – exceeded the federal guideline of five parts per billion; 18 percent exceeded the U.S. limit of 15 ppb.

“I’m surprised,” said Bruce Lanphear quoted by AFP, described as “a leading Canadian water safety researcher who studies the effects of lead exposure on fetuses and young children.”

“These are quite high given the kind of attention that has been given to Flint, Michigan, as having such extreme problems. Even when I compare this to some of the other hotspots in the United States, like Newark, like Pittsburgh, the levels here are quite high.”

The investigation also tested towns like Prince Rupert where many indigenous communities have been drinking contaminated rainwater from ageing pipes – a factor that worsen the lead levels in tap water.

However, local and federal authorities in the country are not required to run tests on the water.

Reacting to the investigation, some Canadian officials where levels were high said “they were aware that lead pipes can contaminate drinking water and that they were working to replace ageing infrastructure,” reported AP.

Other towns, including Montreal, were already working to replace them.

source:AP