Five months after it became public that lead was detected in the water at two Yellowknife schools, the NWT government has launched a formal testing protocol.
The territorial government announced in a Monday news release that it is starting the new lead testing protocol for junior kindergarten to Grade 12 schools across the territory.
“As a government, our first responsibility is to protect the health and well-being of students, staff and families. This territory-wide lead testing protocol reflects that commitment,” education minister Caitlin Cleveland stated.
“The science-based approach – adapted to the unique realities of our remote communities, trucked water systems, and ageing infrastructure – ensures we are identifying risks at the source and acting quickly when needed.”
The news release states the protocol uses a two-tier testing process to identify and trace sources of lead in water based on Health Canada guidance.
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Tier one water samples are collected after eight to 24 hours of stagnation while tier two samples are collected after flushing a tap for five minutes followed by half an hour of stagnation.
The territory said testing of all schools will be completed before the start of the 2026-27 school year. Testing of schools will be prioritized based on previous testing, the age of infrastructure and the number and age of children, among other factors.
If elevated levels of lead are detected, the NWT government said “immediate and appropriate actions will be taken.”
The GNWT said those steps will include notifying the chief public health officer, who will issue a drinking water advisory, as well as providing alternative sources of potable water, following a daily flushing protocol and disabling affected taps and water fountains.
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Challenges with previous water testing
While the NWT government first identified the need to test the drinking water in schools as early as 2018, it did not begin doing so until late 2024, after the Yukon government found high levels of lead in drinking water at several schools.
The NWT government only conducted single spot sampling, contrary to Health Canada’s recommended protocol for testing school drinking water.
A third-party investigation into that testing initiative identified communication issues, delays and a lack of a robust, coordinated testing plan. The investigators recommended that the NWT government develop a coordinated approach for the annual testing of drinking water in schools across the territory.
While initial test results found elevated lead levels in the drinking water of some Yellowknife schools as early as January and follow-up results arrived in April, the education minister and guardians of students were not notified until late May.
The territorial government then said water sampling was not conducted using national best practices and decided to order new, more robust testing at several Yellowknife schools.
The NWT government has since replaced fountains, faucets and food preparation fixtures at William McDonald Middle School and Range Lake North School, and replaced components of five sinks at NJ Macpherson School, among other mitigation measures.
The territory said blood testing of 37 people connected to schools with elevated lead levels has shown results within normal range.
