Lead in schools
Ontario Drinking Water Standard
The Ontario drinking water quality standard for lead is 10 micrograms per litre. You may also see this standard written as 10 μg/L or as 0.010 milligrams per litre. This standard is based on a national guideline set by Health Canada. The Board follows O.Reg 243/07 for lead sampling in Schools.
What happens if there is an Exceedance for Lead?
A. Exceedances for lead are reported Public Health and the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. If the exceedance is on a standing sample, the school is moved to daily flushing of all drinking water fixtures. If the exceedance is on a flushed sample we immediately remove that fixture from service and begin actions to address the issue. Each situation is unique and involves investigation, remediation and verification through two sets of resamples. Once the acceptable results are achieved, the fixture is returned to service. This is done with guidance from Public Health. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservations and Parks will follow up with the Board and local Medical Officer of Health if necessary.
Water Fixture Signs
This is a visual indicator that these fixtures are not considered “drinking water sources” and are not tested for lead. Instead, these fixtures are to be used for hand washing and other classroom purposes.
