Elevated levels of lead were found in the water in Sault and Algoma district elementary schools in testing carried out in the 2015-2016 school year, provincial studies have shown.
According to Ministry of the Environment numbers provided to the Toronto Star, there were 384 schools and daycares across Ontario that found lead levels in drinking water above the provincial water quality standards in 2015. Several of them reported lead levels more than 10 times higher than the provincial standard of 10 micrograms per litre standard.
Our Lady of Fatima was the site of the Huron- Superior Catholic District School Board's only exceedance, said Jim Fitzpatrick, H-SCDSB spokesperson, in an email to Village Media.
“Each summer, a local environmental engineering firm is retained by the board to perform the water sampling and the water is tested by an independent Ministry-recognized laboratory.”
“Prior to the start of school, the water was retested and met the Ministry’s acceptable levels, providing the flushing of the fixtures occurs each school day morning. In all of our schools, care staff are required to flush the drinking fixtures each morning.”
“If, or when, we have an exceedance in lead levels, the principal would be notified and bottled water provided for student, staff and visitor use. If there is an exceedance, the board is also required to notify the local health unit, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Environment.”
“Parents are always free to call the school or board office if they have any concerns pertaining to any type of issue they feel may affect the health and well-being of their child or any children in our school communities,” Fitzpatrick wrote.
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) showed results from one tap at the Sault’s East View Public School, within the Algoma District School Board (ADSB) system, had a lead level of 832 micrograms per litre, much higher than the provincial standard of 10 micrograms per litre.
“We were concerned, but we have our PUC Services as our expert contracted to verify water in our schools to ensure protocols are followed if an exceedance (of lead) is detected, as the processes within the regulations are complex,” stated Joe Santa Maria, ADSB superintendent of business.
“We were also aware that the results could have been affected by the construction project at the school during that summer when students were not in the building.”
Santa Maria replied the ADSB brought in bottled water for East View and ensured the water fountains were bagged, and signs were posted within the school indicating that bottled water (provided by the board) was to be used until further notice.
“We have invested in auto-flushing devices in multiple areas within all schools many years ago to ensure we have daily flushing of our water lines before the start of school every day and is logged every day,” Santa Maria added.
Follow up tests showed the lead levels in the water were found to have less than one microgram per litre, less than the 10 micrograms per litre Ontario drinking water standard, Santa Maria said.
“Since the testing was in the summer and resolved before the start of school, communication was made with the daycare within our school, which is a third party license agreement to use the school during the summer,” Santa Maria said.
“As part of the regulations, exceedances are required to be reported to public health organizations and the Ministry of Environment within the Board’s jurisdiction. We follow all recommendations made by public health professionals to ensure the safety of staff and students on an ongoing basis.”
“We take recommendations very seriously and will continue to do so,” Santa Maria said.