Elevated levels of lead detected in water at two Yellowknife schools

Tests show elevated levels of lead in drinking water at two Yellowknife schools, the YK1 school district says.

YK1 superintendent Shirley Zouboules said Range Lake North School and William McDonald School are affected.

Bottled water is being provided for drinking and cooking. The school water remains acceptable for “hand washing, cleaning and instructional activities,” YK1 stated.

Lead is a toxic metal that can have harmful effects if exposure is sustained over time above certain concentrations. Corroded pipes are a common way by which lead can enter a water supply, though no cause has so far been identified in these two instances.

In a letter to parents dated Monday, the school district said a sample from a water fountain at William McDonald School had returned a lead value of about 0.009 mg per litre, compared to a Health Canada guideline maximum of 0.005 mg per litre.

That sample was taken in April, the letter stated. Zouboules said YK1 had been made aware of the sample’s result on Monday.

“That single sample is not conclusive and more testing and investigation is needed to rule out sampling errors,” the letter continued.

“The biggest priority right now is that immediate action was taken to ensure the safety of staff and students,” Zouboules told Cabin Radio on Tuesday morning.

“All of the fountains were disabled and covered, and appropriate water stations added to both buildings for students and staff to have drinking water.”

New samples will be taken from all water fountains at the schools as well as cold water taps used in food preparation.

The superintendent said she had no further information from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment about when results from those samples might be expected.

The department has been approached for comment.

“I have been reassured that testing will commence shortly,” Zouboules said.

‘More questions than answers’

How frequently school drinking water in the NWT is tested for lead – and when the affected schools last passed such an inspection – was not immediately clear.

Asked how she would address parents’ concerns about potential exposure over time, Zouboules said: “This is not to minimize: the levels are not astronomical. They’re not safe, because zero is safe. So what we want to do is to make sure we have all the correct information to provide to parents. I don’t have that information about extended exposure or how long the exposure may have existed.”

Zouboules said more information was expected from ECE and the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer, while letters to parents include an email address families can use to ask follow-up questions.

“Lead is something that exists in nature. We are exposed to it at certain levels,” Zouboules added.

“It’s when it gets to elevated levels that it may hurt us, will hurt us, and we are very cognizant of that, which is why we are being very cautious. And as a precautionary measure, we are making sure that the children and staff do not have access to any water that they could consume at either of the schools.

“We definitely appreciate that this leaves a lot more questions than answers, so we will do our best to get accurate and current information out as quickly as we’re able to.”

The City of Yellowknife routinely tests its water for a range of minerals and contaminants. The city has not recently reported any broader concern regarding its water quality.

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