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Yellowknife (July 04/01) - Activated charcoal filters were installed recently at William MacDonald school after water tests found lead levels slightly above Canadian drinking water quality guidelines.
After receiving a complaint from parents about discoloured water, the Stanton Regional Health Board did tests which proved that the automated flushing device -- which runs for 10 minutes each morning to purge lead out of the water -- wasn't doing its job adequately.
Environmental Health Services manager, Brad Colpitts, said that Canadian drinking water guidelines are based on a lifetime of consumption and that elevated lead levels were only present in the school's water after periods of inactivity.
However, because lead can affect the central nervous system of developing children, Colpitts said they are "being proactive and cautious."
"We're not taking any chances on this issue," he added.
The water tests found lead content at the school was between 0.004 and 0.22 mg per litre. The Canadian drinking water maximum is 0.01 mg per litre.
Dave Johnson, director of facility maintenance for Yellowknife District No. 1 School Board, said water tests in all other Yellowknife schools have turned up no other problems.
Prior to the mid 1980s, lead solder was used to weld pipes in many Yellowknife buildings, including private homes. The problem is compounded by what Colpitts describes as our "aggressive" water. Apparently, water in Yellowknife is relatively mineral-free but compensates by sucking up minerals such as lead, copper and iron.
