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More than 640 Ontario schools have failed lead tests for drinking water implemented by municipal health facilities. The shocking data debunked Ontario’s reputation for being one of the North American leaders in ensuring the drinking water quality for children. Interpreted from the provincial testings in 2016, White Oaks Secondary School is among one of the schools that have exceeded the lead limit made under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).  

    Lead is not a mineral that can simply be smelled or tasted, therefore the only functioning solution is to test for it. All daycares and schools with a primary division of education must sample at least one-third of their drinking fixtures, while schools without a primary division may choose to sample any amount of their water before a given date. There are two types of samples; the “standing” water test is taken when the tap had not been used for at least 6 hours, whereas the “flushed water” trial is supposed to be sampled after 5 minutes of running the water over a 1 hour period of undisturbed time. In the majority of trials, the flushing of tap water enables the decrease of lead within the system, enough to decrease the concentration below the provincial standard. Despite this, Ontario schools are still vulnerable due to the accumulation of high lead concentrations after the summer holiday.

    According to the SDWA, the Ontario drinking water quality standard for lead is 10 parts per billion (PPB) which is also 10 micrograms per liter. Some schools have found lead contamination in individual taps from 100 times to 300 times higher than the quality standard. In the South campus of White Oaks Secondary School, the sample, which was taken on July 7th, 2016, failed the lead test with 120 PPB of lead concentration in standing water. However, after 5 minutes of flushing, it decreased to 7.5 PPB.

    The effects of this event are yet to be discovered, however, it could possibly leave an impact on the youth of Ontario. Young children can absorb 5 to 10 times more lead mineral than adults, according to the World Health Organization. There is no known safe blood lead concentration, but it is believed that the range and severity of the symptoms would increase with higher concentrations. Lead can produce injuries across the body, and it can be especially damaging to a child’s brain development, potentially lowering their overall intelligence; these consequences are believed to be irreversible.

    Ontario’s environmental ministry requires that all schools flush their plumbing by running it for at least 5 minutes per week in an effort to lower the lead concentrations. However, it is not a long-term solution, as the concentration of lead builds up shortly after. The province spent $1.4 billion to repair and upgrade the plumbing systems, floors, and roofs of the schools and daycares. The outcome of these efforts is unknown and could hopefully improve the water supply of school and daycare facilities like White Oaks Secondary School. Before the next lead testing, the safest bet is to just refrain from drinking tap water in contaminated locations for now.