NDP urges review after Sask. water tests high in lead

‘Troubling’ levels found in samples taken from homes in three cities

The NDP is calling for a provincial review after an investigative news report released Monday shows tap water samples from some Regina, Saskatoon, and Moose Jaw homes were among the highest measured levels of lead-tainted water in Canada.

Read more about the data, obtained through access to information requests made by a consortium that included the Leader-post and the Saskatoon Starphoenix, residents’ concerns, and leading experts’ reaction on page A5-7.

“The levels of lead that were exposed in this report are really troubling,” NDP municipal relations critic Trent Wotherspoon said after raising the issue in the Saskatchewan legislature on Monday.

“I think right now we need a full assessment in a very urgent way, a true picture of what we’re dealing with by way of the levels of lead within the water and what the sources of that lead is and then to work in partnership with municipalities to make sure that we have safe drinking water,” he urged.

In response, Minister of Highways and Infrastructure Greg Ottenbreit emphasized Saskatchewan water sources are safe and the issue is at a municipal level with city-owned and privately-owned lead service lines.

He said the Water Security Agency works closely with municipalities to monitor lead levels in water, but that it’s up to municipalities to address such issues.

“Over the years we’ve increased municipal revenue sharing with municipalities to make sure that they can have flexible funding that they can address issues like this,” said Ottenbreit.

Asked if the province would do more to help cities tackle the lead issue, he said not at this time.

But Wotherspoon said the province should take a leadership role and be a “full partner” with municipalities to ensure safe drinking water.

Regina resident Steven Wolfson agreed. His home was tested and found to have lead levels 10 times more than the allowable limit as per Health Canada guidelines.

“How many children are we going to allow to be contaminated by lead?” he asked.

“I think the province does have a responsibility to make some sort of legislation that protects the children and other people that are drinking that water to make sure that the water is tested and that people know about it.”

The City of Regina says it is constantly reviewing its Lead Service Connection Program to find improvements and learn from other cities.

Currently, the city sends letters to residents who have a city-owned lead service line.

It offers free testing and a free lead water filter along with replacement filters for up to one year to mitigate risks until a replacement can be done. But only 30 per cent of residents reach out to the city after receiving the letters.

“We are hoping that this story will help to bring some focus to it, and we will see more residents call us,” said Pat Wilson, Regina’s director of water, waste and environmental services.

In Saskatoon, replacement of the private side of the line, as well as the public side is mandatory, with the city and homeowner sharing the cost 60-40. While there’s no such arrangement in Regina, it will be considered, said Wilson

In the wake of the Canada-wide news investigation, Montreal’s mayor recently announced that city would mandate lead service line replacements on private property.

Wilson said the city will also examine ways to accelerate its replacement program, look at possibly making test results public (now only done in Ontario), and also follow up with residents who feel they weren’t properly informed.

“Our program has leaned more on the education and the provision of the filter and the testing at this point at time,” Wilson added. Recommendations are to come before a city committee around March.

Like Ottenbreit, Saskatoon’s general manager of utilities and the environment, Angela Gardiner, emphasized that city’s water sources are safe. “We don’t believe anyone is in danger,” she said, despite high lead levels found in some Saskatoon homes and no filter program in place.

In a release issued Monday, the City of Moose Jaw reiterated that it’s working to ensure its water supply is in compliance with regulations.