Why does the Ontario government require child care centres and schools to test drinking water for lead?
Young children are more vulnerable to the effects of lead because they absorb ingested lead more easily than adults, which can interfere with the development of their nervous systems. In population studies, exposure to lead has been associated with effects on learning capacity, intellectual development and behaviour.
What is the drinking water quality standard for lead in Ontario?
The Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standard for lead is 10 micrograms per litre or 10 parts per billion.
What are the requirements for sampling drinking water for lead?
Schools and child care centres must follow the requirements set out in O. Reg. 243/07. Annual water testing can only be conducted between May 1 and October 31 each year. Each drinking water fixture must have two one-litre samples collected. The sampling protocol required that the first of the two required one-litre samples be taken after the water in the building had not flowed for six hours or more and is referred to as the 鈥淪tanding sample鈥�. The drinking fountain or faucet must then be flushed for at least 5 minutes, turned off and left unused for 30 minutes. At the end of the 30 minutes, a second one-litre sample is taken. This sample is called the 鈥淔lushed sample鈥�. The Flushed sample results are a representation of the lead content in the drinking water after the required water flushing conducted at the school daily.
How can I find out the lead test results for my child鈥檚 school or child care centre?
As per , records of regular flushing, sample collection and testing results are kept at our schools and are available to any member of the public, including parents, during regular business hours, upon request to the school administrator.
What happens if a child care centre or school finds it has a lead exceedance in its drinking water above the standard for lead?
If a drinking water test result exceeds the provincial standard for lead, the 91短视频app takes immediate action and follows corrective measures as directed by York Region Public Health. These actions may include an increase in flushing time, replacing the fixture, installing a filter or other device that is certified for lead reduction, rendering the tap or fountain inaccessible by disconnecting or bagging, or any other measures as directed by the local Medical Officer of Health, until the issue is resolved.
Are all water fixtures in the school tested?
All drinking water fixtures, which include all drinking fountains and taps used to provide drinking water and/or prepare food/drink are tested in compliance with Regulation 243/07 (Schools, Private Schools and Child Care Centres).
Fixtures that are not used as drinking water sources such as bathroom taps or sinks in classrooms are not required to be tested and will have a sign posted indicating it is to be used for 鈥淗andwashing Only鈥� purposes.
Why are child care centres and schools required to flush their plumbing?
Flushing has been shown to reduce lead levels in drinking water fixtures. By flushing plumbing and fixtures, water that may have come in contact with lead plumbing is replaced with fresh water. How often a facility has to flush their plumbing and fixtures depends on several factors including the age of the plumbing, previous lead test results or if a device that removes lead, such as a filter, has been installed on a fixture.
Source: Fact Sheet for Parents (Ontario Regulation 243/07)
How are people exposed to lead?
Lead is a naturally occurring element. Lead has many industrial uses and has been found in water systems since the late 1800s. It is also present in soil, food and indoor dust. Over the past few decades, exposure to lead has significantly decreased due to restrictions in the use of lead in gasoline, paint and solder.
Source: Fact Sheet for Parents (Ontario Regulation 243/07)
How does lead get into drinking water?
Ontario鈥檚 surface and groundwater generally does not contain lead. If lead does occur naturally, the concentrations are typically extremely low and below the drinking water standard for lead. Where there are concentrations of lead in drinking water above the standard, the likely cause is from the lead pipes servicing the premises, lead solder used in the plumbing or fixtures containing high percentages of lead.
Lead pipe service connections have been used to deliver water from distribution pipes since the late 1800s. Older buildings (generally those built before the mid-1950s) are more likely to have lead connections. By 1990, the amount of lead in solder that could be used in drinking water plumbing was substantially reduced.
The amount of lead leaching into drinking water from these components depends largely on the chemical characteristics of the water. In certain circumstances, extended contact between standing water and the components can cause the lead to be released from the pipes. When the tap is turned on, water that has been standing in the pipes may have accumulated lead levels higher than Ontario鈥檚 standard for lead.
Source: Fact Sheet for Parents (Ontario Regulation 243/07)
How can I get the water in my home tested for lead?
If you suspect that you have lead service pipes or lead plumbing in your home, you may wish to have your tap water tested for lead. Some municipalities in Ontario have programs that help residents test their drinking water for lead. Contact your municipality for more information about your water service pipes and what is available in your community.
Alternatively, you can arrange your own drinking water lead test through a licensed laboratory. For more information please visit Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks 鈥� Drinking Water Information or phone the Public Information Centre at 1-800-565-4923.
Source: Fact Sheet for Parents (Ontario Regulation 243/07)
