Nov 20, 2019

Town's regular testing for lead confirms safe drinking water

In the wake of recent reports about lead levels in community water across Canada, the Town of Ladysmith wishes to confirm with residents that quarterly testing for lead and other heavy metals in the local water supply have consistently recorded levels that meet or beat the safety standards set out in the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.

Due to the recent increase in public awareness arising from reports related to changes in March to Health Canada's guidelines for acceptable levels of lead in potable water, the Town will now increase water testing to monthly, rotating each month to a different pair of our 10 testing stations.

The water we deliver to individual property lines is safe for consumption; however, it is possible that materials such as pipes, fittings or solders used within private homes and buildings could contain materials such as lead which may affect water quality.

As a precautionary measure, the Town tested samples from all 10 of the water testing stations during the week of November 11th, 2019.  All samples are well within the safety standards set by Health Canada.

Residents concerned about how to detect levels of lead in their own water may find the attached information bulletin from Island Health to be useful.  If you would like more information, we encourage you to you get in touch with the Environmental Protection Officer with Island Health in Nanaimo:

3rd Floor, 6475 Metral Dr   
Nanaimo, B.C. 
V9T 2L9  

250.755.6215
Fax: 250.755.3372
Email: HPES.Nanaimo@viha.ca  

For Town of Ladysmith Information:

Guillermo Ferrero, Chief Administrative Officer
250.668.7739
gferrero@ladysmith.ca                                                                          

COPY OF COMMUNICATION FROM ISLAND HEALTH

Dated November 20, 2019

Ensuring low lead levels in drinking water is a shared responsibility between water suppliers, municipal governments, private property owners and health authorities. If you have concerns about lead levels in your drinking water, first contact your local water supplier. Sampling for lead in the pipes and fixtures contained within private properties or services lines is the responsibility of the homeowner.  If you are renting a home, please connect with your landlord to discuss sampling. 

There are two labs that service Vancouver Island that conduct lead testing noted below.  Other labs can be found at http://lmlabs.phsa.ca/Documents/PHO%20Approved%20Laboratory%20List.pdf

Laboratory Name: Bureau Veritas Canada (2019) Inc.

460 Tennyson Place, Unit 1       
Victoria, British Columbia V8Z 6S8
Tel: +1 250.385.6112
Toll free: 866.385.6112
Fax: +1 250.382.6364

Laboratory Name: MB Labs LTD
2062 West Henry Avenue
Sidney, B.C. V8L 5Y1
Tel: 1.250.656.1334

Health Canada recommends that the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) of Lead in drinking water be 0.005 parts per million (ppm) or 5 parts per billion (ppb). 

Island Health's Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) are available to help interpret the water quality results and provide recommendations.  Contact your local Health Protection Environmental Service Office (https://www.islandhealth.ca/our-locations/health-protection-environmental-services-locations) for more information.